The Land of Rain had fallen, and its forces had withdrawn from the Second Great Ninja War.
Within a day, the news spread across the ninja world.
Along with it came reports of the intensifying conflict between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind.
Tensions continued to rise between the great nations.
Standing amidst the blood-soaked battlefield, Uchiha Kiyo once again bore witness to the true horrors of war.
Five thousand ninja had perished in this battle.
It was an astonishing number.
Five thousand!
And these were not ordinary people. They were shinobi—trained warriors, each possessing extraordinary abilities.
Yet, they had fallen like leaves in the wind.
The sheer brutality of war was undeniable.
Most of the fallen were Chūnin, but among them were five Jōnin and seventeen elite Jōnin.
After clearing the battlefield, Konoha's forces returned to the front lines.
Some shinobi were allowed to return to the village for recuperation, their duties temporarily assumed by the newly arrived reinforcements.
Uchiha Kiyo was among those who planned to return to Konoha.
However, before that, there were matters he needed to resolve.
---
Konoha.
The news of victory at the front lines reached the village swiftly, and the oppressive atmosphere that had loomed over Konoha for months finally began to lift.
Even so, there was no time for complacency.
With the war against the Land of Wind raging on, the situation remained critical.
Nevertheless, victories deserved to be celebrated. The Third Hokage convened a formal gathering to honor the outstanding contributions of the shinobi who had distinguished themselves on the battlefield.
Seizing the opportunity, the village also organized a series of festivities to alleviate the tension that had gripped Konoha throughout the war.
While others reveled in the relief of battle won, a lone figure stood atop the Hokage Rock, gazing silently upon the village.
From this vantage point, the entire village stretched out below, illuminated by the soft glow of lanterns.
The figure, a clone of Uchiha Kiyo, looked down at the lively streets, silently taking in the sight.
But no matter how vibrant the village seemed, the clone's mood remained heavy.
Too many shinobi had laid down their lives to ensure the safety of the village.
Yet, in the shadows, there were those who betrayed their fellow comrades—scheming and manipulating events for their own benefit while others fought and died.
If these traitors acted outside of war, away from the battlefield, Kiyo might have understood.
After all, the pursuit of power was an inevitable part of human nature.
But these people were different.
They conspired in the midst of war.
They struck against their own during missions, sabotaging the very forces that fought to protect Konoha.
Such treachery was unforgivable.
Justice had to be served.
---
Root—Danzo's Hidden Stronghold
As an underground faction within Anbu, Root's exact location was classified. Any attempt to investigate or track its whereabouts was strictly forbidden.
Even so, Kiyo's clone had employed his unique sealing and concealment techniques, masking his presence as he carefully searched for its entrance.
He had known that Root operated somewhere near Hokage Rock, and after meticulous observation, he had pinpointed its general location.
Now, with the necessary intelligence gathered, he lay in wait.
And today, the order had come.
It was time to act.
Donning a prepared mask, the clone moved swiftly.
Slipping into the forest behind Hokage Rock, he advanced 500 meters before coming to a stop.
"This is it. Back then, I had to avoid drawing too much attention, so I only confirmed a rough location.
But now, that concern no longer exists.
First, I need to confirm the exact structure—then, I strike."
The clone formed a series of hand seals, activating a basic sensory ninjutsu.
Through his perception, he detected numerous chakra signatures beneath the ground, some of which rivaled his own in strength—likely elite Jōnin.
And then, there was another presence.
A chakra signature stronger than the others, yet not quite at the level of a true Kage.
"This must be Danzo."
With his target identified, the clone wasted no time.
Forming additional seals, he prepared his assault.
---
Meanwhile, deep within Root's headquarters, in Danzo's private chamber—
The veteran shinobi's eyes snapped open as he sensed an unfamiliar chakra probing the area.
"Who dares?!"
His voice rang out sharply.
"Someone is attempting to infiltrate Root! Full alert!"
Root operated under strict protocols—better to eliminate an innocent than allow a spy to escape.
Though Danzo doubted that anyone would be reckless enough to attack Root directly, he would take no chances.
At his command, a squad of elite Jōnin immediately moved toward the entrance.
Their reaction was swift—but not swift enough.
The clone had no intention of allowing them time to respond.
---
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Movement!"
"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Spear!"
"Earth Release: Earth Thorn Prison!"
A rapid barrage of Earth Release techniques erupted underground.
The foundations of Root's hideout trembled violently as massive spikes and jagged pillars of stone tore through the subterranean chambers.
In the blink of an eye, the hidden base was thrown into chaos.
The casualties mounted instantly.
Danzo's face contorted with fury.
"MOVE! Find the intruder and eliminate them!"
Even for a hardened tactician like him, the situation was almost unbelievable.
A direct assault—inside Konoha's borders?
This was madness.
Yet, the carnage unfolding before him was very real.
Whoever this masked shinobi was, they were powerful.
---
Uchiha Kiyo's clone continued his relentless assault, unleashing wave after wave of devastating Earth Release techniques.
The elite Jōnin attempted to counter, but they struggled against the sheer force of the attack.
The very walls of Root's stronghold crumbled around them.
Danzo barely evaded a collapsing section of his office, his breath ragged.
He scanned the battlefield, trying to identify his attacker.
Yet, no matter how hard he looked, the masked figure's identity remained a mystery.
Danzo's unease grew.
The sheer volume of chakra the assailant was expending was staggering.
"Who the hell is this?" he muttered under his breath.
Within mere moments, Root had suffered devastating losses.
A third of their Chūnin-level operatives had been wiped out. Even two elite Jōnin had fallen.
This was not just an attack—this was humiliation.
Danzo gritted his teeth.
This intruder would not leave alive.
---
But Kiyo had no intention of escaping just yet.
Handing control to another prepared clone, he continued the attack without hesitation.
"Earth Release: Earth Rising Walls!"
Massive barriers of stone erupted around the battlefield, trapping the remaining Root operatives inside.
Danzo's expression darkened.
He was cornered.
Then, a new wave of hand seals—
Kiyo's clone formed a chakra-infused kunai and charged straight toward Danzo.
His fighting style was ruthless—each strike calculated to trade wounds if necessary.
Danzo was caught off guard.
In a brief opening, the clone's blade flashed.
A sharp pain shot through Danzo's body.
His right arm—severed.
A primal roar of agony echoed through the cavern.
But Kiyo wasn't done.
He grinned beneath his mask.
"You… you won't walk away from this, Danzo."
The clone gathered the last remnants of his chakra, condensing a powerful chakra sphere.
Then, he infused it with a volatile surge of energy.
A split-second later—
BOOM!
A massive explosion rocked Konoha.
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