"Okay."
Two-Tomoe Sharingan appeared in Uchiha Tadashi's eyes as he cautiously moved through the fog.
Aside from being assigned to different squads for combat, the Uchiha clansmen generally stayed together during their rest periods.
However, with the fog around, gathering the clansmen would take some time.
The gale drove the fog along. It was not impossible to disperse, but it would take time.
And the Mist Ninja would not give the Konoha ninja time to completely disperse the fog. Under its cover, large numbers of Mist Ninja silently infiltrated Konoha's main camp.
The presence of these Mist Ninja meant that all the patrol squads had already been wiped out. They had not even had a chance to fire a signal flare.
Uchiha Shin carried the heavily injured but conscious Hirota Uchiha on his back. Surrounded by fog, he could not see anything and could only retreat based on memory.
"Captain, wait here for me. I can't abandon the clansmen and flee on my own."
Uchiha Shin placed Hirota Uchiha somewhere concealed, then turned and ran back.
A trace of gratification appeared on Hirota Uchiha's face as he forced his battered body to stand.
With younger generations like them, the clan had hope of flourishing. Even if he had to risk this crippled body of his life, he had to protect them.
Uchiha Shin successfully joined up with Uchiha Tadashi, and together they led the clansmen in a desperate defense against Mist Ninja attacking from every direction.
More than half the fog had dispersed, but the Mist Ninja had already achieved their goal, forming an encirclement around the Konoha ninja. Only the rear route had not yet been completely sealed off.
"Uchiha brat, I love hunting genius ninja like you. I'll be taking those eyes of yours."
A Mist Ninja force led by an Elite Jonin, numbering more than two hundred, had set its sights on Uchiha Tadashi and the others.
"Tadashi, Shin, take the clansmen and leave. Leave this place to us."
"Go now. We can't hold them off for long."
Two-Tomoe Sharingan emerged in the eyes of Keisuke Uchiha, Masao Uchiha, Makoto Uchiha, Yuki Uchiha, Ayako Uchiha, and Kazu Uchiha. Their gazes resolute, the six stepped out from the crowd.
"You think you can leave? You'll all stay here."
"Six mere Chunin think they can stop us? You're courting death."
"Kill them all."
The Mist Ninja captain laughed arrogantly, brandishing his longsword as he ordered his subordinates to attack.
"Kill!!!"
Uchiha Tadashi and Uchiha Shin exchanged a glance, then attacked the Elite Jonin-level Mist Ninja alongside the six others.
The remaining Uchiha clansmen were no cowards either. Since they could not escape, they would kill. Killing one meant breaking even; dragging two down with them meant profit.
That helpless feeling of watching clansmen fall beside them, that crushing sense of being a burden after being saved and realizing how useless they were.
There were no reinforcements, no helpers. One by one, the clansmen who had once laughed and chatted around them fell.
Despair, sorrow, and pain flooded their minds all at once, and scarlet Sharingan awakened.
Splat!
A blade tip suddenly protruded from the Mist Ninja captain's chest, yet no blood appeared. His body gradually turned to water.
A strange smile curved across the Mist Ninja captain's lips. With a sweep of his hand, he slashed down and killed the person who had ambushed him.
"You thought you could ambush me? What a foolish Uchiha ninja."
Hikari Hozuki laughed wildly.
The ambusher was Hirota Uchiha.
Unfortunately, the Mist Ninja captain had concealed himself too well, and Hirota Uchiha had not known that he was a ninja from the Hozuki Clan.
"Captain."
Uchiha Tadashi and Uchiha Shin's eyes reddened and widened as tears immediately began streaming down their faces.
The two had been closest to Hirota Uchiha. They often stayed by his side and had received much of his ninjutsu instruction.
To them, Hirota Uchiha was not merely their captain, but also a kind elder.
At that moment, their two Two-Tomoe Sharingan spun rapidly, and another black tomoe appeared.
The boost from the Three-Tomoe Sharingan immediately sent their strength soaring, elevating them directly to Jonin level.
"I'll kill you."
"Die!"
The instant their Three-Tomoe Sharingan awakened, the two swung their blades at Hikari Hozuki without regard for anything else.
"Three-Tomoe Sharingan? Bringing those back to Kirigakure would be a great achievement."
Having witnessed it all firsthand, Hikari Hozuki formed hand seals and used Water Release to temporarily restrain the other six before greedily attacking the two.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Binding Blade."
Hirota Uchiha silently appeared behind Hikari Hozuki, the weapon in his hand flickering with lightning.
"Crackle~!"
Hikari Hozuki could no longer turn to water. His heart was shattered at once by Hirota Uchiha's Lightning Release.
"How could..."
Hikari Hozuki turned around with difficulty, staring in utter disbelief at the person who had attacked him.
"Die."
Uchiha Shin and Uchiha Tadashi immediately followed up, directly beheading him.
"Experience beats youth, hahaha."
Hirota Uchiha laughed, then coughed up blood. His severely wounded body could no longer support him in battle.
One of his Three-Tomoe Sharingan dimmed, turning gray-white.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!!
At that moment, kunai flew down all around them.
The surrounding Mist Ninja fell one after another, their necks torn open by sharp weapons as blood sprayed out. Each had died in a single blow.
This terrifying sight sent the remaining Mist Ninja stumbling backward in fear.
Uchiha Kyu appeared beside Hirota Uchiha and supported his swaying body.
"Hirota, well done. Make it back alive, and I'll let you retire comfortably in the clan."
"Clan Head, I have not failed your trust."
Hirota Uchiha wiped the blood from his mouth. With only one Three-Tomoe Sharingan remaining, he revealed a relaxed smile.
Since the Clan Head had come, none of them would die.
"Kill!!!"
"Kill all the Mist Ninja!"
"Hold on, brothers! We're here!"
Konoha's reinforcements, exhausted from their long journey, charged in with shouts, trying to frighten off the Mist Ninja and buy their brothers on the front lines a chance to survive.
"Damn it, Konoha's reinforcements are here! Retreat, retreat, retreat!"
Upon seeing Konoha's reinforcements arrive, the Kirigakure higher-up leading this surprise assault hastily gave the order to retreat.
This attack on Konoha's defense line had originally been meant to completely seize it before Konoha's reinforcements arrived and establish a Kirigakure supply line.
What a pity.
Once Konoha's reinforcements arrived, the operation lost all meaning.
How could Uchiha Kyu allow the Mist Ninja to retreat so easily? He personally gave the order to pursue.
They came when they wanted and left when they wanted. Did they think this place was their home?
"Kill!!!"
Under Uchiha Kyu's orders, Konoha's reinforcements pursued without reservation.
They slaughtered the slower-retreating Mist Ninja until nothing remained, chasing them all the way to the first Egawa Defense Line occupied by the Mist Ninja before finally stopping.
"Congratulations, you two. You successfully awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan. The battlefield really does temper people."
Uchiha Kyu was also surprised that the clan had gained two more Three-Tomoe Sharingan users so quickly.
This was tremendous news for the Uchiha Clan.
Before you continue