The river flowed gently, its waters whispering as they passed.
Naruto, Gaara, and Fu emerged from the wooden cabin on the riverbank clearing to confront the unexpected visitor, Kakuzu.
“The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Uzumaki Naruto… your eyes…” Kakuzu’s pupils shrank as he noticed Naruto’s Rinnegan, feeling a surge of astonishment.
Had Pain’s eyes been transplanted to this kid by Konan?
Moreover, despite Naruto’s young age, his calm and composed demeanor exuded a maturity far beyond his years, unsettling Kakuzu.
However, Kakuzu quickly regained his composure, given his experience with countless battles. He dismissed his initial concerns.
“Hmph, they’re just three kids, seven or eight years old. How strong can they possibly be?”
Kakuzu didn’t believe for a second that these kids could defeat him. If he couldn’t handle them, his eighty-plus years of life would be meaningless.
With that thought in mind, Kakuzu clapped his hands together. Instantly, countless black threads sprouted from his body, forming eight massive tentacles that wriggled menacingly around him.
Simultaneously, a red and a blue masked face appeared on his shoulders, each spewing fire and wind respectively.
Fire Release: Head-Mincing Pain!
Wind Release: Pressure Damage!
A massive wave of fire combined with a spiraling gust of wind, the wind fueling the fire, creating an immensely destructive jutsu that surged towards Naruto and his companions.
Boom.
The trio was engulfed in flames in an instant, and the wooden cabin behind them ignited and turned to ashes within seconds.
“Did I overdo it? These kids shouldn’t die so easily, right?” Kakuzu muttered to himself, aware that he needed to capture the kids alive for the bounty.
True to form, Jinchuriki were not so easily killed, their lives intertwined with their tailed beasts.
Whoosh.
A pair of green wings sprouted from Fu’s back as she soared out of the flames, hovering in the air like a beautiful fairy.
Rustle, rustle.
Sand surrounded Gaara, forming a sphere that shielded him from the fierce flames and heat.
Naruto emerged unscathed from the inferno, extending his hand towards Kakuzu with a sharp gaze.
Universal Pull!
An immense gravitational force grabbed hold of Kakuzu, lifting him off the ground and pulling him towards Naruto.
“He knows this technique too?” Kakuzu’s face changed, growing more wary. He quickly performed hand seals to counter the attack.
A fierce battle ensued.
Boom! Boom!
On the riverbank, dazzling ninjutsu clashed like fireworks, interspersed with immense tailed beast chakra, creating terrifying destructive power that ravaged everything in sight.
After a few minutes, the battle began to subside.
The surroundings were unrecognizable. The river redirected, trees toppled, and the ground was marred by massive cracks and craters.
Fu lay unconscious on the ground, her wings broken and body covered in wounds.
Nearby, Gaara was also on his back, a broken tail beside him, his face and body riddled with cracks slowly being repaired by sand.
Kakuzu, however, fared no better. The ground was littered with black threads and the remains of his four masked creatures, their masks shattered into pieces.
“Hah… hah…”
Kakuzu, barely alive, knelt on one knee, gasping for breath.
Tap, tap, tap.
Naruto walked up to Kakuzu.
“You…” Kakuzu struggled to look up, his face shocked as he stared at Naruto.
Their eyes met at the same level, but Kakuzu felt as if Naruto’s body towered infinitely above him, a giant with enormous Rinnegan eyes coldly gazing down.
Once again, he had been defeated by the Rinnegan, just as he had been by Pain.
But this time, his opponent was merely a seven-year-old, an unbelievable fact that filled Kakuzu with deep bitterness.
Shing.
A black chakra rod appeared in Naruto’s hand, aimed at Kakuzu’s heart.
Once, Naruto had been kind-hearted, unable even to kill a chicken. But after all he had experienced in the past year, he had become ruthless, killing without hesitation.
He was becoming a second Nagato.
But just as Naruto was about to strike, he stopped, noticing Konan and Karin approaching.
As expected, the lackeys Kakuzu had sent to delay Konan had all been dealt with.
“Naruto, are you all okay?” Konan hurried over, both surprised and delighted to learn that Naruto had defeated Kakuzu.
Naruto’s growth had far exceeded her expectations. At this rate, Naruto would soon surpass even Nagato at his peak.
Meanwhile…
“Bite me,” Karin said, running to Fu’s side and extending her arm.
Fu bit into Karin’s arm, her complexion improving as her wounds healed rapidly. She soon stood up, looking revitalized.
“Thank you, Karin. Did I hurt you?” Fu asked, embarrassed by the bite marks she had left.
“I’m fine. It didn’t hurt,” Karin replied with a smile. Then she moved to Gaara, offering her arm again.
Gaara, however, wasn’t as gentle. He bit hard, greedily drawing Karin’s chakra.
“Ow,” Karin winced, turning pale. Only then did Gaara release his grip, slowly getting up.
“Gaara, that was too much! You’re so rude!” Fu scolded, feeling indignant for Karin and ready to punch Gaara, but Karin held her back.
Such scenes were common among the kids.
Konan glanced at the bickering trio, shaking her head before returning to Kakuzu.
No one truly wanted to die, especially not someone like Kakuzu, who had lived for so long. Faced with death, even he showed a rare moment of vulnerability.
Konan frowned, thinking for a moment before suggesting to Naruto, “Killing him would be too easy. How about letting him continue to serve Akatsuki? What do you think?”
The new Akatsuki was in dire need of strong members.
Konan knew Kakuzu well enough to understand that he valued money above all else. His pursuit of Naruto and the others wasn’t personal; it was driven by the high bounty on their heads.
Such a person could be very useful in raising funds for Akatsuki.
“I understand, Konan-sensei,” Naruto replied, retracting the black chakra rod.
Following Konan’s guidance, Naruto used the power of the Rinnegan to place a seal inside Kakuzu’s body, ensuring his loyalty to the organization.
“Leader,” Kakuzu said, bowing his head to Naruto in submission.
He had served Pain and Obito before, and now he had a new master. Even if this one was just a kid, it didn’t matter.
Kakuzu only sought a powerful backer to focus on making money.
If Naruto met the same fate as Pain and Obito, Kakuzu would simply find another master.
Upon rejoining Akatsuki, Kakuzu was promptly given his first mission.
“The Uchiha clan is about to engage in a decisive battle with the Allied Shinobi Forces. Head out and gather information. And replenish your hearts while you’re at it,” Konan ordered, revealing her knowledge of Kakuzu’s secret.
As Akatsuki’s intelligence officer, Konan had thoroughly investigated every member, even discovering the weaknesses of Obito’s Kamui. Kakuzu was no exception.
“Yes, Angel,” Kakuzu responded, trembling, and swiftly left.
Mountain Graveyard.
Since declaring war on the entire ninja world, the Uchiha clan had been fervently preparing for battle.
This was their final war.
The Uchiha clan’s combat power was at an unprecedented peak.
The village council, including the Edo Tensei-revived Shisui and the controlled jinchuriki—Yugito, Yagura, Roshi, and Han—had 14 members.
Among these 14, the weakest, Kakashi and Yamato, were of Kage-level strength. Most were bona fide Kage-level, with Dan surpassing even Kage-level, standing at the pinnacle of the ninja world.
Even the combined experts of the Five Great Shinobi Villages couldn’t muster so many Kage-level fighters.
This was the Uchiha clan’s confidence in declaring war.
At the core of these powerhouses were six individuals with Mangekyo Sharingan: Fugaku, Itachi, Tekka, Chisui, Shisui, and Dan.
In addition to his own Mangekyo, Dan also possessed Obito’s double Kamui Sharingan.
In fact, the clan still had Shisui’s Mangekyo from his lifetime, but its abilities were too unique and dangerous to be used, so it was kept hidden.
Below the Mangekyo users were a hundred Uchiha ninjas.
Each had transplanted the First Hokage’s cells and mastered the powerful Wood Release over the past year.
The First Hokage’s cells also enhanced their Sharingan abilities, and the battles had led nearly every member to awaken the Three Tomoe Sharingan.
Regrettably, since Tekka and Chisui, no new Mangekyo had been awakened.
Awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan was incredibly difficult.
The Uchiha clan had already faced the trauma of their split from Konoha and the ninja world’s siege, pushing those with the potential to awaken the Mangekyo to do so.
The remaining members, due to age or other factors, had likely reached their limits.
However, the upcoming decisive battle with the Allied Shinobi Forces might push some to their limits
, potentially creating new Mangekyo Sharingan users.
Additionally, these hundred Uchiha ninjas possessed pieces of the Greyle Stone, allowing them to transform into beasts.
This mineral, containing vast natural energy, acted like a weaker version of Sage Mode for the Uchiha, similar in power to Orochimaru’s Cursed Seal in the original story.
With these enhancements, the Uchiha battalion consisted of elite Jonin-level fighters, each capable of facing hundreds alone in any of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
Moreover, the Uchiha clan had used Edo Tensei to revive about fifty deceased members, forming a powerful undead force.
For the Uchiha, a warrior race, a peaceful life only dulled their fighting spirit. Only the fires of battle and bloodshed nourished them.
Now, the Uchiha were at their peak, stronger than ever in their thousand-year history.
Thus, when Fugaku suggested declaring war on the entire ninja world, the clan was not worried or fearful but rather excited.
Defeating the entire ninja world with the power of one clan would be a historic feat.
Naturally, despite declaring war, the Uchiha clan planned to defend and counterattack rather than launching an offensive.
The Mountain Graveyard was their sanctuary, the place where they had turned the tide a year ago by capturing the First Hokage’s cells.
They were well-acquainted with the terrain, giving them the home-field advantage.
Over the past few days, the non-combatant clansmen had moved into the steel fortress, while the warriors prepared traps and surveillance in the forest, ready for the enemy.
Elite scouts were also sent out to gather intelligence on enemy movements and strength.
At the village center on the mountain top, in a room…
“Do you understand what to do?” Dan asked, his red Mangekyo Sharingan glinting eerily as he looked at Itachi.
Itachi, snapping out of his daze, touched his right eye and nodded, “I understand, uncle.”
After their conversation, Itachi left the room and headed for the village entrance.
Outside the village, Uchiha Izumi paced nervously in a high-collared blue robe, her belt lined with various ninja tools, waiting for Itachi.
She had received orders to partner with Itachi the night before for a reconnaissance mission.
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