The lightning around Fugaku's hand faded away. He said nothing, quietly turning his back to the corpses behind him. Pulling a folded handkerchief from his pocket, he calmly wiped the blood from his palm.
Looking at him now, one could hardly believe that this same man had ended three lives moments ago. Three months earlier, the idea of killing had filled him with dread and nightmares. But now, Uchiha Fugaku had become something else entirely—a true warrior.
Humans really are terrifyingly adaptable creatures.
"Yo, Retsu, Saku, how was my new technique?"
At his call, two shadows flickered from the trees and landed beside him. Their eyes gleamed the same crimson light—fellow Uchiha clansmen.
"That was incredible, Captain! This new jutsu of yours looks so cool!"
The younger one, Uchiha Saku, practically had stars in his eyes. "Please teach me that move! I want to learn it too!"
The older one, Uchiha Retsu, chuckled. "You'll have to train your chakra nature first. Without lightning release, you'll never be able to use it properly."
"Ah, right! So what's this jutsu called, Captain?"
"Chidori," Fugaku replied.
"Because of that sound, right? Like a thousand birds crying at once?" Retsu nodded. "A fitting name. This technique must be the pinnacle of lightning release manipulation. The chakra is so concentrated it can pierce through anything. And with lightning chakra enhancing the body's reflexes and speed, the result is devastating."
Retsu folded his arms, visibly impressed. "This has to be at least an A-rank jutsu."
Saku's jaw dropped. "A-rank?! Amazing! As expected of our captain, developing something that strong!"
"Captain, how did you even come up with such a powerful jutsu?"
"I told you," Fugaku said, smacking Saku on the head. "When we're in a squad, call me Captain, not Clan Head. And stop dreaming about learning new ninjutsu before you've even mastered your Fire Release. Focus on raising its temperature and power first. Got it?"
After scolding his eager subordinate, Fugaku felt oddly refreshed. He gave a quiet chuckle to himself. Developing new jutsu? Hah, should I tell them this came from my chuunibyou phase?
He certainly wasn't going to admit that, back in middle school, he'd spent countless afternoons forming Chidori hand signs in the mirror while making his own "bzzt-bzzt" sound effects.
Now, with Uchiha Fugaku's chakra control and battle instincts, he'd finally turned that childish fantasy into reality. Chidori—no longer just a dream, but a weapon forged by his own hands.
As for Kakashi, the "original inventor" in the other timeline? Fugaku shrugged inwardly. He's a genius, right? He'll come up with something else. And if he can't? Well, since I know Minato pretty well, he can have this one for free.
What's that? You can't learn it?
Say so earlier!
You want me to teach you? Sure, no problem!
Not this one? No worries, I've got others!
In Fugaku's imagination, a silver-haired teen stood awkwardly as a shady older man pulled out a collection of... questionable scrolls.
The titles sparkled under the dim light—"My Sister, the Heroine," "The Tale of Brother Bin," and "One Hundred Gentle Sisters."
The silver-haired boy's dead-fish eyes suddenly lit up with divine radiance, as if a new world had opened before him.
"Uh, Retsu," whispered Saku, staring at their captain's weird expression. "Doesn't he look kinda... creepy right now?"
"How would I know?" Retsu muttered. "But yeah, it's definitely unsettling."
"Totally gives me chills."
"Forget it, the mission's done. Let's get back."
The three Uchiha returned to camp. After the standard inspection, Fugaku was about to report their mission when an ANBU in a cat-faced mask appeared silently before him.
"Orochimaru-sama requests your presence at the command tent. Immediately."
Fugaku nodded, handed off his post-mission duties to Retsu, and made his way toward the heart of the camp.
Orochimaru's tent stood out easily it was the largest in the entire base, its dark fabric lined with sealing charms. Inside, several key figures were already gathered. The famed Ino–Shika–Chō trio sat to one side, while opposite them stood Hyuga Hiashi, the clan head of the Hyuga.
"Good. Fugaku's here," Orochimaru said, his voice low and drawn, carrying a strange magnetism. "Now we can begin."
He wasted no time. "Reports from our border patrol near the Land of Wind confirm that Sunagakure's forces are mobilizing. The Sand Village is preparing to join the war."
"What? The Sand?" several shinobi exclaimed.
It made no sense. The disappearance of the Third Kazekage had been the cause of this entire war. Their village had lost its leader why would they suddenly jump into a conflict they couldn't win?
"Could it be that the Third Kazekage has returned?" asked Akimichi Chōza between bites of food.
Orochimaru shook his head slightly. "No. The Third Kazekage is still missing, but the Sand Village has appointed a new leader the Fourth Kazekage."
"The Fourth…?"
"Yes," Orochimaru continued. "After so long, it was inevitable. With no word of the Third's survival, Sunagakure was forced to choose a successor. A man named Rasa now holds the title of Kazekage."
Chōza frowned. "But the village must be in chaos. Why risk another war now?"
"This isn't about victory or loss," Nara Shikaku answered quietly.
"Huh?" someone asked.
Fugaku's gaze sharpened. "It's about shifting the focus… isn't it?"
"Exactly," Shikaku nodded. "The Third Kazekage's disappearance left a power vacuum. The new Kazekage doesn't yet hold the loyalty of all factions. Some still support the old leader's ideals. To unite the village and deflect their anger, the best solution is to start a war."
Fugaku crossed his arms, a knowing smile flickering on his face. "So that's it… politics, not strategy."
The war was far from over and the storm was only growing stronger.
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