"Kai, what should I do?!" Shizune looked up in despair, her eyes filled with tears.
She didn't seem like the experienced medical ninja she usually was, but more like a helpless child.
"You've done enough," Kai stood up and gently wiped away Shizune's tears. "Leave this to me."
Feeling the warmth of his hand, Shizune was stunned.
Usually, Uchiha Kai was a shy, even self-conscious boy.
But now, he felt completely different.
His eyes, sharp and determined like a hawk's, gave her a sense of inexplicable safety.
However, thinking about their current intimate and slightly ambiguous actions, Shizune blushed slightly and quickly changed the subject. "They're seriously injured. What should we do to help them?"
"Unless we transport them back to Konohagakure, or have more medical ninjas support us, they'll be abandoned. They're already discussing retreat and leaving these injured behind."
"Don't worry, I'm here. They won't be abandoned. We'll finish this war together, and we'll go home together." Kai stretched his body and stood up.
Seeing Shizune's dumbfounded expression, he gave her a playful tap on the forehead and walked out.
"You're so annoying!" Shizune instinctively rubbed her forehead, but realized her tone sounded a bit strange. Her cheeks flushed red.
At the entrance of the cave, the battle meeting was still ongoing.
As soon as Kai approached, he heard the final decision.
"Now, I propose, as the leader, that we immediately abandon the injured and retreat. Those who agree, raise your hands." Fū Yamanaka suddenly spoke.
Torune Aburame, beside her, raised his hand in agreement. "I agree."
"Transporting the injured and treating them along the way will slow down the retreat. Abandoning them is the right thing to do. Please consider this carefully. And don't forget how the White Fang of Konoha ended up."
As soon as these words were uttered, everyone in the cave's expressions changed instantly.
The death of the White Fang, Sakumo Hatake, was a huge loss for Konohagakure.
Unfortunately, his death was met with scorn from most people.
People are selfish. They only care about the outcome, not what sacrifices were made along the way.
Now, Torune Aburame's words pushed them to a dead end.
"No need to choose. We don't agree. We won't just abandon our teammates." Kai said calmly.
"It's Uchiha Kai. Wasn't he seriously injured? He recovered so quickly?"
Many were shocked.
They still felt a chill remembering the sight of Kai, covered in blood, being pulled out from the explosion.
Fū Yamanaka and Torune Aburame's expressions darkened.
They were considered small geniuses, both in Root and Konohagakure.
When had they ever been publicly questioned, let alone openly opposed in their decisions?
Moreover, the ideology instilled in them by Root was that victory was everything, and anything could be easily abandoned.
"Kai, you're just a Chunin. You have no right to participate in this decision. Get out of my way." Fū Yamanaka said sternly.
"If it happens again, if you speak recklessly and incite others, don't blame me for using military law."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the cave's expressions changed. Their eyes all turned to Kai, who was completely different from the shy and self-conscious boy they knew before.
Their instincts told them that Kai must have hit his head and gone crazy, daring to challenge someone from Root.
"Uchiha Kai, you dare defy the leader's orders? You're asking for death!" Fū Yamanaka shouted angrily.
Everyone's faces changed!
Torune Aburame also coldly echoed, "Don't forget, we're facing over a hundred Kumogakure ninjas, including the AB duo!"
"This is a world of the strong devouring the weak. You, a weakling who can't even reach Jonin level, have no right to speak."
"I'll give you two choices. First, shut your mouth and get out of my way."
"Second, die!"
These harsh words made everyone in the cave's expressions change dramatically.
"Kai, come back quickly!" Shizune rushed out and said urgently, "I apologize, everyone. Kai's mind isn't quite clear yet…"
"Shizune, leave this to me!" Kai reached out to interrupt her, looked directly at Torune Aburame, and said, "So you're saying that comrades can kill each other?"
"Can I also kill you?"
His quiet voice swept through the cave, making everyone's expressions change.
This was completely different from the Kai they knew, who was always timid and hesitant.
"Humph, good for you, Uchiha Kai. We've known for a long time that your clan is restless. But you're too naive. With your current strength, you dare to threaten me?" Torune Aburame sneered.
"Humph, a Chunin waste who doesn't even have any strength. If you had just stayed quiet, maybe we would have taken you with us. But now, it seems we won't." Fū Yamanaka said coldly, "Insubordination, openly defying the leader's orders. We have the right to kill you!"
"The weak should cower in the corner and tremble!"
A chilling aura locked onto Kai.
Everyone present knew that if Kai made the slightest move, he would face a deadly attack.
"Fū Yamanaka, we're comrades. Don't go too far." A Jonin with purple hair stepped forward, "In this situation, we should calm down and discuss, only then will we find a solution."
"Humph, I advise you not to meddle. This mission is entirely our responsibility. This kid is so weak, he's a liability. Now he's openly defying orders. We have the right to kill him."
"Are you saying that those with strength can kill anyone?"
"Very well, let me show you what despair is!" Kai laughed mockingly.
The crimson color in his pupils surged, instantly engulfing his entire iris. In the next moment, nine tomoe connected as one.
A tidal wave of chakra, like a hurricane, exploded outward, centered on Kai.
His black hair danced without wind, and his crimson pupils, filled with a terrifying power, made everyone feel a sense of crushing dread!
"What… What kind of eyes are those?!"
"Uchiha Kai, didn't he only have one Sharingan? Now it's… 1, 2, 3… 9 tomoe!"
"What's going on? In the Uchiha clan, even a three-tomoe Sharingan is incredibly powerful. But nine tomoe…"
The overwhelming pressure of chakra, and the crimson tide of the nine-tomoe Mangekyō Sharingan, made everyone in the cave's expressions change dramatically.
The Uchiha clan, a renowned clan throughout the ninja world.
The evolution of the Sharingan was well-known.
One tomoe, two tomoe, three tomoe!
These were the most common transformations.
It could be said that even within the Uchiha clan, only a few knew about the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Let alone those who had awakened it by chance.
But none of that mattered!
The most important thing was that they felt a sense of impending doom from this incredibly powerful chakra pressure.
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