Fukashi led the Uchiha through the desert, with Kenji and his Anbu escorts trailing right behind them. The group remained eerily silent, the weight of Fukashi's rage-filled chakra permeating the entire march.
Shinichi, running beside him, asked, "What are they, Father? They're unlike any Senju or village shinobi I've encountered in the past."
Naka, perking his ears close by, butted in with a frustrated expression. "Yes, Fukashi-taicho! Why are you continuing to let those bastards throw us around like they're the boss?"
"..." For a moment, Fukashi tilted his head and stared back at Kenji and the six Anbu escorting him. He fixed his gaze forward again and replied, "I believe those Anbu must be the next generation of the Senju's Shadow Guards."
"Shadow Guards?" Shinichi and Naka asked in unison. Even for Shinichi, the terminology did not match any records or scrolls he had read in the clan's archives or the village libraries.
"Not much is known about them... even Sensei knew very little, only their name." Fukashi frowned as he leaped over a dune. "They are like the Shikotsumyaku of the Kaguya, the Mangekyō of the Uchiha, and the Caged Bird Seal of the Hyūga..."
"Like a Kekkei Genkai?" Naka muttered, looking bewildered.
"But the Caged Bird Seal isn't a Kekkei Genkai..." Shinichi's expression hardened as he pieced together what his father was implying.
"I spoke too broadly." Fukashi took a deep breath to stabilize his lungs. "Every major clan had its own method of maintaining centralization. The Hyūga's Main and Branch division system using the Caged Bird Seal is the most well-known. But for the Kaguya and us, because we were allies once, we practiced similar methods. Any orphans or shinobi outside the elder and clan head factions who were born with the Shikotsumyaku or awakened the Mangekyō were... to put it mildly, 'conscripted' to benefit the clan."
"...They were weaponized by their own kin," Shinichi summarized coldly.
"...Yes." Fukashi nodded. "This practice ended within our clan simply because no one had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan for a hundred years, until Sensei and Izuna-sama did. The Senju, on the other hand... we never encountered anything concrete like them. They only existed in vague rumors. Until now."
"I knew it! The Anbu are just Senju lackeys in the end!" Naka exclaimed.
Shinichi shook his head. "The Anbu organization is too vast and expansive for the Senju to control entirely, or to train into such specialized tools of darkness without other clans noticing. There must be a specific, shadow division within the Anbu that inherited the Shadow Guards' roles and tactics."
"We can discuss the politics later," Fukashi cut in. "What matters right now is protecting Kagami. Whatever Shadow Guards or Anbu the Senju have prepared for us, as long as we consolidate our forces, the village will have no choice but to hear our demands. We can force a peaceful transition of power."
"But, Fukashi-taicho," Naka interjected, "will Kagami really side with us? He's too brainwashed by the Senju. He literally started this war just to avenge Tobirama."
Fukashi nodded grimly. "That is true. But that is exactly why it is critical we secure him. His actions have placed him directly against the interests of the Senju and the rest of his colleagues. In the end, he will have no one left to return to but us."
Fukashi cast a glance back at the Seventh Division members of the Military Police Force running within their ranks. Most of them were Kagami's direct subordinates and his loyal followers. Fukashi calculated that using them as a bridge would make it far easier to convince Kagami.
"And with the Senju's current aggressiveness, Kagami might be at his most perilous moment right now. The Senju cannot afford for us to awaken more Mangekyō Sharingan. They don't have Hashirama anymore, Tobirama is dead, and Kagami's actions have proved that Mito and the Kyūbi stand no chance against our Mangekyō Sharingans. We finally hold the upper hand!"
Naka nodded excitedly, his morale soaring. Shinichi nodded too, but with heavy caution. The situation at hand seemed entirely favorable with Senju aggressively pressuring them out of desperation. But a nagging gut instinct tugged at the back of his mind. It felt as though a much larger, far more sinister game was being played. He shook his head to clear the thought, telling himself he was simply overthinking again.
Rumble!
A massive tremor rippled through the desert sand beneath their boots, followed by a violent, suffocating spike of chakra flaring in the distance. They were closing in.
"Double time!" Fukashi roared, and the Uchiha surged forward.
***
Boom!
A blinding light erupted with a massive explosion that engulfed half the cliffside, collapsing the cavernous defensive structures that protected the entrance.
A colossal, orange-furred beast pressed fiercely forward. It wielded its massive claws and nine thrashing tails to swat away a barrage of shuriken, kunai, jutsu, and puppets thrown in its path. On top of its head stood Uchiha Kagami. With his Mangekyō Sharingan wide open, he stared down at the desperately fleeing Suna shinobi with absolute contempt.
Meanwhile, a few dozen meters away, the Konoha forces stood with grim faces. They were led by Akimichi Torifu and Senju Ayame—the other Grand Elder of the Senju clan alongside Genshiro.
They had already attempted to halt Kagami's advance, only for the Kyūbi's tail to sweep their vanguard away, injuring many and instantly killing a few. Kagami had shouted for them to stand down, claiming the Kyūbi was not under his complete control and that he couldn't guarantee their safety. However, no one believed him.
Kagami's right Mangekyō, empowered by his burning desire to avenge Tobirama and destroy Suna, had awakened Amaterasu. His left eye, on the other hand, held Kamiyonanayo. It was a specialized genjutsu capable of forcing a target to fulfill a single command, prioritizing that task above all else for a maximum of seven days, carrying a strict one-year cooldown. The technique required the task to be physically achievable within that one-week timeframe; if Kagami commanded the Kyūbi to "destroy the world," the dōjutsu would simply fail. Utilizing the intel he had received from Kenji, Kagami had used Kamiyonanayo to command the beast to destroy Suna's chakra-poison manufacturing infrastructure. However, this directive did nothing to stop the Kyūbi from slaughtering any Konoha shinobi who foolishly stood in its way.
Torifu lowered his gaze, pulling out a small case containing three colored pills.
Nara Shikasuke, standing right behind him, widened his eyes. He instantly grabbed Torifu's arm with one hand and snatched at the pill case with the other.
"Torifu! Sanshoku no Gan'yaku 三色の丸薬 (Three Coloured Pills) is not necessary! We haven't reached that point yet!"
Torifu offered a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Shikasuke-sama. As long as I don't consume the red Chili Pill, I will be fine."
Shikasuke shook his head helplessly, releasing his grip. Just then, Senju Ayame approached them. Despite her wrinkled visage and silver-streaked blonde hair, her posture and chakra remained incredibly vigorous. Out of instinct, Torifu—despite being the commander of this reinforcing army—lowered his head out of respect for the Grand Elder.
"It seems we are safe as long as we do not actively block the Kyūbi's path," Ayame stated firmly. "Instead of trying to capture it, we should aid the beast and resolve this crisis as swiftly as possible."
Shikasuke narrowed his eyes, his brilliant mind churning. "But what if his rampage doesn't end? Shouldn't we wait for Kenji-dono and Fukashi to—"
"The Uchiha's madness is as fickle as the wind, but it is never everlasting," Ayame cut him off coldly. "According to the Anbu's intelligence, Kagami's sole objective is the destruction of this facility. Let him vent his rage first. Once he finishes, we will have our window to resolve this through dialogue. Moreover... Suna's chakra-poison data and the research notes within this fortress could prove highly valuable for Konoha's future."
Shikasuke opened his mouth to point out the blatant flaws in Ayame's logic, but Torifu raised a heavy hand, stopping him. "The Sandaime's ultimate goal is to establish peace, Elder Ayame, not to escalate this conflict."
"Young commander," Ayame replied, her eyes narrowing into dangerous slits. "The quickest and most reassuring way to achieve peace during a war... is through victory. An absolute, undeniable, and crushing victory."
"And we have already achieved that, have we not?" Torifu argued back, his voice rising.
"That is true, but the Suna are still resisting."
"Because we invaded their home!" Torifu barked.
Ayame simply nodded, entirely unbothered. "Their resistance merely proves they have not yet learned their lesson. But soon... I assure you, Young Torifu, they will come begging for a peace treaty. Just as the Uchiha did in the past."
Torifu frowned deeply at the chilling shift in Ayame's tone, while behind him, Shikasuke silently gasped, catching a terrifying glimpse of the true, unyielding cruelty of the Senju clan's grand elder.
Ayame turned toward her clansmen. "Maintain distance from the Kyūbi and assist it in destroying this facility. Make sure to root out Kuchimose's herbologists and alchemists."
"Yes, Grand Elder!" the Senju shinobi replied in unison. However, they remained completely stationary in their tracks.
Ayame turned back to face Torifu, her voice dripping with an unchallengeable authority. "Do you have any objections to this order, Commander?"
Torifu silently shook his head, but his jaw tightened with unspoken disagreement.
Ayame signaled with a sharp wave of her hand, dispersing the forces. As the Senju scattered into the chaos, ten shinobis made brief eye contact. They exchanged subtle, knowing nods before blending into their respective squads. Their expressions seemed entirely normal, but deep within their pupils lingered an unnatural, eerie glint.