A lightning-fast rescue

Night hung low, and Konoha seemed unusually quiet beneath the shadow of war.

A breeze threaded through the streets, carrying the night's distinctive chill as it brushed gently through Uchiha Shinichi's room.

Shinichi lay in his familiar bed, finally feeling a sense of safety he had not known in a long time.

The battle to break out with Tobirama Senju had nearly exhausted his strength and chakra. Now his whole body ached, and his eyelids felt heavy enough to fall shut at any moment.

Finally... I can get some proper sleep, he murmured inwardly.

But just as his consciousness was about to sink into dreams, a sudden unease surged through him!

Panic!

It was as though some impending crisis lurked in the darkness, watching his fate, making his heartbeat stumble out of rhythm.

Something's wrong!

Shinichi's eyes snapped open. Cold sweat slid down his temple, and his heart pounded wildly.

His body reacted on instinct. He quickly sat up and scanned his surroundings warily, trying to find the source of that unease.

Yet the room held only its familiar furnishings. Nothing was out of place.

"This feeling..." Shinichi frowned deeply, his agitation growing ever more pronounced.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down before quickly gathering his thoughts.

Looking back over the day's events, he had first broken out with Tobirama, summoned Ryujin Jakka to hold off their enemies, and finally brought Tobirama Senju back alive.

But that also meant history's course had changed completely!

Tobirama didn't die, so... how will the course of the shinobi world change?

The more Shinichi thought, the stronger his unease became, as though an invisible hand were closing around his throat.

He suddenly realized that his intervention had knocked "fate" off its original track, and that change would inevitably create a "butterfly effect" elsewhere!

And right now, there was only one person he truly feared for—

Tsunade!

Shinichi's pupils contracted sharply, and Tsunade's image flashed through his mind.

Tsunade was on the battlefield at this very moment. She, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya were carrying out missions as a medical and combat support unit.

He clearly remembered that, in the original history, Tsunade had experienced war but had never faced a genuine life-or-death crisis.

But now, his intervention had changed everything!

Damn it... did this butterfly stir up a little too much trouble?

Shinichi clenched his teeth. His exhaustion vanished in an instant, and the chakra remaining in his body surged to life.

Without hesitation, he rolled out of bed, quickly put on his ninja gear, tightened his forehead protector, and donned the cloak that marked him as a member of the Uchiha Clan. His gaze was sharp as a blade.

Whatever happens, I have to check on Tsunade!

Shinichi knew that unless he did something, this unease would never subside.

Konoha, the Hokage's office.

Under the cover of night, the Hokage building's lights remained on as the Konoha High Command urgently discussed Tobirama Senju's safety.

Just then, Shinichi rushed in like a gust of wind and stood in the center of the meeting room, his voice cold and direct.

"Tell me. Where is Tsunade right now?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi paused in surprise and looked up at Shinichi. "Shinichi? Why are you—"

"Cut the crap!" Shinichi interrupted him outright. His sharp gaze swept across everyone present, his tone brooking no argument. "Tell me Tsunade's position on the battlefield!"

Senju Toka frowned and said gravely, "Tsunade is currently providing combat support on the western front. They just finished a medical mission and were scheduled to return to Konoha tomorrow."

Shinichi's heart sank.

The western front!

It was one of the fiercest battle zones between Konoha and Iwagakure, and he knew that in the original history, Tsunade had not been deeply involved in this fighting.

But now, because of his intervention, the war's pace might already have changed ahead of schedule.

If anything happens to Tsunade...

Shinichi's fists tightened slightly. He dared not follow that thought any further.

"I have to make sure she's safe," Shinichi said firmly.

Shimura Danzō frowned. "Shinichi, you've only just been through a fierce battle. You're in no condition to fight again—"

"Shut up, you old dog." Shinichi shot Danzo a cold glance, making no attempt to hide his disgust.

Danzo's expression shifted, and the surrounding members of the Konoha High Command fell silent.

Hiruzen Sarutobi hesitated, then finally sighed. "The situation on the western front is stable for now. Tsunade and the others should be fine."

Shinichi gave a cold laugh. "Should? Are you certain?"

No one answered.

Shinichi gave them a long look, then turned without hesitation and headed for the door.

"I'll check for myself."

Boom! Shinichi became a dark blur and vanished into the night.

Senju Toka watched the direction Shinichi had gone, her brow creasing slightly. "...He really did sense something."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed softly. "Let's hope... his premonition is wrong this time."

But everyone knew that Uchiha Shinichi's instincts had never been wrong.

Beneath the night sky, Shinichi set off alone toward the western front.

He had no idea what kind of clash with fate awaited him ahead.

The western front, a scorched wasteland beneath the night sky.

The shadow of war shrouded the entire battlefield, and the air reeked of gunpowder and blood.

In the darkness, an Iwagakure supply depot burned in towering flames. Crimson fire licked the sky, swallowing the surrounding camp.

Firelight illuminated the ruins. The warehouses that had once held supplies had been blown apart, heaps of military rations and medical supplies burned to ash, and the bodies of Iwagakure shinobi flung aside by the blast lay everywhere.

Tsunade stood on a broken rock, her long golden hair whipping in the fierce wind. Blood spattered during the fighting still stained her face. Her hands formed hand seals, and her gaze was sharp as a blade.

She had just completed a precision sabotage operation—destroying a vital supply station on Iwagakure's front line.

This was Konoha's tactical plan: sever Iwagakure's supply lines and collapse their front, securing a strategic advantage on the battlefield.

But such an action was no different from stirring up a hornet's nest.

"Tsunade! We have to retreat!" Jiraiya looked anxious. The blast had torn several holes in his clothes, and he was panting heavily. "Iwagakure's main force is coming!"

Orochimaru stood nearby, his slit pupils coldly surveying their surroundings. His voice was low. "Their pursuers are here, faster than expected... It looks like they've marked us."

"Tch, it doesn't matter how many come!" Tsunade gritted her teeth and clenched her fists, fighting spirit blazing in her eyes.

But just then—

Boom!!

The earth suddenly shook. A distant rock face burst apart, and countless boulders tumbled down from above, as though the end of the world had come.

Dark shapes flickered, and a fully armed elite Iwagakure unit appeared at the firelit entrance to the valley. Behind them, Iwagakure banners snapped in the fierce wind.

Leading them was Iwagakure's jonin commander, Kitsuchi, accompanied by several seasoned elite shinobi.

"Konoha's little Senju brat... Good. If you dare destroy our supply lines, you'd better be prepared to die here!" Kitsuchi stared coldly at Tsunade, his gaze as dark as a volcano about to erupt.

They had already received word—

The one who had destroyed the supply depot was Hashirama Senju's granddaughter, Tsunade!

This woman had to die!

Kitsuchi slowly raised his hand and gave the order with a cold sneer. "Surround them and kill them!"

In an instant, dozens of Iwagakure shinobi surged forward like a tide. Their figures crossed through the darkness, cold kunai and chakra weapons gripped in their hands, killing intent filling the air!

The battle erupted in an instant!

Jiraiya drew a kunai and charged forward without hesitation. He stomped hard against the ground and leaped onto a rock. "Fire Release: Flame Bullet Technique!" Fierce flames poured from his mouth, sweeping forward like a raging dragon!

Orochimaru rapidly formed hand seals. "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!" Fierce winds joined Jiraiya's flames, becoming a firestorm that seemed to devour heaven and earth, instantly engulfing the foremost Iwagakure shinobi!

"Don't even think of escaping!" Kitsuchi barked coldly and stamped hard on the ground. Chakra poured into the earth, and the entire terrain began to twist violently. "Earth Release: Earth Collapse Technique!"

Boom!!!

The ground suddenly caved in. Massive rocks thrust up from beneath it, forming an enormous stone wall around Tsunade and her two companions, cutting off their retreat in an instant!

Orochimaru's pupils narrowed slightly. "...This is bad. We're trapped."

Tsunade watched the Iwagakure shinobi closing in from every side and drew a deep breath. Her fists trembled slightly—not from fear, but from the chakra power gathering within them!

"The one you've surrounded... is Tsunade!" she shouted coldly. Pushing off hard with both legs, she leaped straight at Kitsuchi. Veins bulged along her arm as chakra gathered into a vortex around her fist, and she drove it forward!

"Monster Strength: Earth-Shattering Collapse!!"

Rumble!!

The earth collapsed violently beneath that punch. Rock exploded into fragments that filled the air, and the savage impact, like an earthquake, sent the front rank of Iwagakure shinobi flying!

Kitsuchi's expression shifted slightly. Though he had long heard of Tsunade's monstrous strength, only after experiencing it himself did he understand how terrifying the Senju Clan truly was!

"This brat..." Cold sweat seeped across Kitsuchi's forehead. "We have to kill her now, or she'll grow far faster than we could ever imagine!"

But even with all three fighting with everything they had, they remained prey trapped within the encirclement!

In the distance, fierce winds howled.

In a forest not far from the battlefield, a dark figure sped between the treetops, like lightning tearing through the night!

Uchiha Shinichi had finally arrived!

His eyes gleamed faintly in the darkness, his keen gaze fixed on the distant battlefield.

He had already sensed Tsunade's chakra fluctuations, along with traces of Jiraiya and Orochimaru's fighting.

Damn it, something really did happen! Shinichi cursed inwardly, rapidly forming hand seals before pushing off hard!

"Body Flicker Technique!"

Whoosh!!!

His figure vanished into the darkness like a phantom, racing toward the battlefield!

On the battlefield, life and death hung by a thread.

"Damn it...!" Jiraiya panted and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. All three of them were nearing the limits of their chakra.

Though they had fought with everything they had to carve a bloody path out, the Iwagakure encirclement kept tightening. Worse still, Kitsuchi had already begun unleashing Iwagakure's ultimate killing move!

"Earth Release: Mountain Collapse!!"

Rumble!!!

The earth shook violently. The ground across the entire battlefield began to cave in, and massive layers of rock collapsed, bearing down on Tsunade and her companions!

"We're done for..." Jiraiya's eyes widened, reflecting the enormous rocks about to come crashing down.

But then—

At that critical instant, a blaze tore through the night with earth-shattering force!

"All things in creation, turn to ash—"

"Ryujin Jakka!!"

Boom!!

Flames erupted like the blazing sun. A crimson, lotus-red flash of a blade cut through the darkness, and scorching fire tore through the earth, swallowing the collapsing rock head-on!

Rumble!!

The air suddenly grew unbearably hot, and fire blazed toward the night sky!

The sword, burning with hellish flames, stood upright in the center of the battlefield like a divine weapon descended to earth.

A white-haired youth stood amid the fire, wearing a cloak bearing the Uchiha Clan Crest. His cold gaze swept across the surrounding Iwagakure shinobi.

His left hand rested on the sword's hilt, his right hand raised slightly. His icy voice echoed across the battlefield—

"You lot dared lay a hand on my people?"

In an instant, the entire battlefield fell deathly silent.

Tsunade stared at that familiar figure, momentarily stunned. Then her eyes grew hot with tears.

"...Shinichi," she murmured.

Uchiha Shinichi had come after all.

Beneath the night sky, flames burned, and a new battle was about to erupt!