Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 294 Do You Want to Dance Too? [Third Update, 11K words]

The great battle in the Death Sands is in full swing.

Dramatic changes are also taking place in Amegakure, the Hidden Village of the Land of Rain.

The incessant rain, like the eternal theme of this country, beats against this oppressive village built of steel and drainage pipes.

However, today, the central square of Amegakure was crowded with more people than usual.

Most of them were ninjas wearing Amegakure headbands, their faces bearing the weariness and numbness left by long-term warfare, as well as a faint sense of bewilderment and anticipation for the new order.

On the high platform, Konan wore her Akatsuki organization black trench coat embroidered with red clouds, her blue hair fluttering slightly in the drizzle, and a pair of paper-woven wings on her back made her look like an angel descending.

Her voice was clear and ethereal, penetrating the rain and reaching the ears of every ninja with an almost religious solemnity and infectious power.

"My fellow countrymen of the Land of Rain!" Konan opened her arms wide, her white wings unfurling as if to embrace this land that had suffered so much.

"The dark ages under Hanzo the Salamander's rule are over! His tyranny, which involved creating internal strife and suppressing dissent in order to maintain his power, will forever be history!"

Her gaze swept over the faces below, some excited, some doubtful, and some numb.

"From this day forward, Amegakure, and indeed the entire Land of Rain, will welcome a new ruler—a god named 'Pain'!"

"He heard the cries and wails of this land, and felt the endless suffering you endure!"

The mention of the word "pain" caused many Rain Ninjas to grimace slightly, for it was a memory etched into their very bones.

"The ideal of a god is not to seek only personal gain." Konan's voice suddenly rose: "He wants this ninja world, filled with war and hatred, to feel the same pain as us!"

"Only by personally experiencing this unforgettable despair can those lofty great ninja villages truly understand the cruelty of war and the preciousness of peace! Only in this way can true and lasting peace come!"

"Let those great powers also feel the pain!"

This highly inflammatory slogan, like a spark thrown into dry tinder, instantly ignited the long-suppressed resentment and unwillingness of many Rain Ninjas.

They were fed up with their fate as a battlefield in the great power rivalry, and fed up with the humiliation of struggling to survive in the cracks.

At this moment, a "god" claims to seek justice for them and to make those who caused suffering taste the bitterness of pain. This undoubtedly greatly satisfies their deep-seated desire for revenge and their expectation for change.

"Follow Lord Payne!"

"Let the world feel the pain!"

"For the future of the Rain Kingdom!"

Excited shouts began to rise sporadically, then quickly merged into a chorus.

Many Rain Ninja immediately removed their Rain Village headbands from their foreheads and used kunai to carve a mark on them, symbolizing their break with the old era and their loyalty to the new god "Pain" and the "Akatsuki" organization.

With the Akatsuki organization officially taking over Amegakure, the village's ninja forces quickly fragmented.

About a third of the ninjas chose to side with the Akatsuki, becoming its peripheral members and wearing the scratched headband.

Another third of the ninjas, either out of blind loyalty to Hanzo or out of fear of the unknown and radical nature of the Akatsuki, chose to go into hiding and became "Hanzo remnants" who were wanted and hunted by the Akatsuki.

The last group, fearing the uncertainty of the future, chose to leave the Land of Rain and become wandering ninjas.

Under the initial rule of the Akatsuki, the suffocating high-pressure policies and endless internal purges of the Hanzo Salamander era temporarily ceased.

A semblance of "peace" was achieved within Amegakure.

The patrolling streets were no longer Hanzo's ANBU, but Rain Ninja wearing scratched headbands.

On the windows of every household, white paper angels, made of paper and symbolizing peace and protection, are hung silently, fluttering in the rain as if praying for the protection of the new "god".

……

The tallest tower, which originally belonged to Hanzo the Salamander, has now become the new core base of the Akatsuki organization.

Pain sat quietly on the platform on the outer edge of the tower, his Rinnegan coldly overlooking the village below, which was gradually regaining some life.

In the distance, ninjas were carrying out repairs on the city that had been damaged a few days ago by his battle with Jiraiya and those two mysterious powerful figures.

Nagato attempted to emulate the model he had seen in the Land of Stars, involving ninjas in the reconstruction and using ninjutsu to accelerate the process.

However, the results were far from what was expected.

The ninjas of Amegakure seem to be more accustomed to using ninjutsu for destruction than construction. Their chakra control and understanding of the application of ninjutsu in construction are far inferior to those of the ninjas of the Land of Stars.

Inefficient, unfamiliar with each other, slow progress, and even filled with resentment and dissatisfaction about using chakra on these civilians.

'Why?' Nagato was filled with confusion.

'Both are ninjas who have experienced the pain of war, both from small ninja villages or even commoners, so why are the ninjas of the Land of Stars able to achieve such a level, applying ninjutsu to all aspects of production and construction, while the ninjas of our Land of Rain...'

He couldn't help but recall the confrontation with Shura, when Shura questioned his idea of ​​"making the world feel pain".

[The war is over, so what?] In my memory, the figure who confronted him through Uchiha Shisui spoke with undisguised sarcasm.

How long can a 'peace' maintained by fear and suffering last? How should a nation function in peacetime? How should the people live? How can we prevent them from becoming displaced and suffering from hunger and cold? You only see the surface of the suffering, but you have never seen its root cause, never thought about how to end the suffering, and never considered the future.

Nagato at the time scoffed at these words, firmly believing that as long as the root cause of war was eliminated and the great powers and ninja villages felt pain, they would be unable to understand each other, and all problems would be solved.

All he needs to do is act as a god, unleash punishments, and maintain this "peace" bought with suffering.

But now, as he personally overthrows the old rulers of Amegakure and attempts to begin “construction,” he discovers that things are far more complicated than he imagined.

How to revive the economy?

How to safeguard people's livelihood?

How can this war-torn country truly be revitalized?

He was completely clueless, his mind a blank.

The only method he seemed to be good at and believed to be effective was killing to stop killing.

All opponents, disobedient individuals, and potential threats must be eliminated. As long as there are no voices of resistance, the superficial "peace" can be maintained.

A slight rustling sound, like paper scratching, interrupted his thoughts.

Countless white paper scraps gathered behind him, dancing and combining as if they had a life of their own, eventually forming Xiao Nan's aloof figure.

"Payne, what are you thinking about?" Konan walked to his side, followed his gaze downwards, and asked softly.

"...It's nothing." Pain's voice was as cold as ever, devoid of any emotional fluctuation.

"How many people chose to pledge allegiance?"

Konan replied, "According to preliminary statistics, about one-third of the original Rain Ninja were willing to join us. Another third became 'remnants' that needed to be wiped out, hiding in various corners of the Land of Rain. And some... chose to leave."

Payne remained silent for a moment, then did not press the matter further.

In his mind, it was perfectly normal for ordinary mortals to be unable to comprehend the will of God.

He doesn't expect everyone's understanding; he only needs their obedience, or... their disappearance.

Just then, the space beside them twisted strangely, forming a vortex-shaped void.

Obito, wearing an orange spiral mask and calling himself "Uchiha Madara," slowly stepped out.

Almost simultaneously, the ground rippled like water, and a pitcher plant-like creature emerged from the ground, half white and half black.

"Oh dear~ I have some bad news~" White Zetsu spoke first in his characteristic flippant and exaggerated tone: "Over in Kirigakure, our 'Mizukage'... seems to have lost control~"

Obito continued, his voice sounding somewhat muffled through his mask: "The higher-ups of Kirigakure seem to have noticed Yagura's abnormality and used the Byakugan possessed by that ninja named 'Ao' to see through and dispel my Sharingan genjutsu."

This news did not surprise Payne and Minami too much.

It is a miracle in itself that the Kage of a major ninja village was able to control the village for so many years; it was only a matter of time before he was discovered.

"It's alright." Pain's voice remained calm: "Kirigakure has already suffered heavy losses and cannot recover in a short time. Once all six of my Pain's are completed and the tailed beast collection plan is officially implemented, I will simply capture the Fourth Mizukage."

He abruptly changed the subject, his Rinnegan sweeping over Obito and Zetsu: "In comparison, within the Land of Rain, is there still no clue about the mysterious person who fought against Shura?"

The black side of Zetsu spoke in a low voice: "Absolutely nothing. The other party vanished as if into thin air, leaving no trace whatsoever."

“However, one thing can be inferred: Sunagakure of the Land of Wind has declared war on the Land of Stars, and Shura has apparently returned to the Land of Stars to take charge. That mysterious person… was likely seriously injured in his battle with Shura, or even…” He didn’t finish his sentence, but the meaning was self-evident.

White Zetsu added, "Also, the ten White Zetsu clones responsible for monitoring the village have lost contact. They all disappeared during that chaotic battle. I don't know if they were dealt with by Shura or killed by that mysterious person..."

The sudden battle between Shura and that mysterious man in Amegakure, with its terrifying strength and the black chakra rods that only Six Paths level cultivators could wield, greatly shocked Nagato, Obito, and especially Black Zetsu, who had been plotting behind the scenes for a thousand years.

Black Zetsu's heart, hidden in the shadows, was filled with doubt and uncertainty.

He believed he knew the ninja world inside and out and had been planning for a thousand years, but these two excessively powerful beings seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, completely beyond his comprehension and potentially disrupting his plans.

What Black Zetsu was concerned about was that Shura's conversation with that person even mentioned his mother, Kaguya!
This made Black Zetsu, while extremely cautious, also give rise to an idea.

Is it possible to make contact with that Asura?
If that mysterious person is truly Mother's enemy, then Shura...

Could this guy, who also wields great power and has a grudge against his mother's enemy, be used as a new pawn?
"The war between the Land of Stars and the Land of Wind won't last long." Pain spoke again, interrupting Black Zetsu's thoughts: "Sunagakure is no match for Shura. Our time is running out."

Nagato was well aware that as the Land of Stars continued to grow stronger and his Six Paths Pain plan was completed, the Akatsuki's actions to collect the Tailed Beasts would inevitably push them to the opposite side from the Land of Stars, which sought to unify the ninja world, and from the Asura.

An inevitable conflict is looming.

As for the traditional five great ninja villages, even the strongest, Konoha and Kumogakure, were not taken too seriously by Nagato after witnessing the battle between Shura and the mysterious man.

His primary focus at this moment remained on the enigmatic Asura, and the equally mysterious enemy who could rival Asura.

……

In another corner of Rain Village, inside the underground laboratory of "Regenerative Medicine Technology Company".

Wearing a white lab coat, Santu Amado pushed up his orange-rimmed glasses and observed expressionlessly a clone in the nutrient tank that had just lost its vital signs.

This was his 19th cloning experiment, which ended in failure once again.

The words of the mysterious boy who suddenly barged in that night involuntarily resurfaced in my mind—

No matter how many clones you create, they will only have your daughter's face, but possess a completely different soul.

soul……

This ultimate problem, which he had been ignoring or deliberately avoiding and trying to circumvent with scientific means, was laid bare by the other party.

"Doctor, the 19th batch of experimental subjects... has lost vital signs." A researcher reported cautiously.

Amado waved his hand, signaling them to dispose of the failed test subjects, his tone flat and emotionless: "Record the data and prepare for the next batch."

He walked alone into the data monitoring room, staring at the densely packed failure records and chaotic vital sign curves on the screen, and fell into deep thought.

The mysterious man's words were like a thorn stuck in his heart.

Just as he was concentrating on analyzing the data, the space around him rippled without warning, and a dark red spiral portal quietly opened!

Amado was startled and instinctively took a step back, looking warily at the portal.

A figure gracefully stepped out of the door.

It was Cixian.

He was still wearing that white haori, and his demeanor was composed, as if he had just come to visit an old friend.

Unlike last time, his aura seemed more restrained, but upon closer inspection, one could detect a subtle weakness.

"Excuse me, Mr. Amado." Cixian nodded slightly, his tone maintaining its usual politeness, but a hint of solemnity, previously unseen, appeared in the depths of his eyes.

“Originally, I should have left temporarily after the battle with that person. But after thinking it over, I feel it is necessary to visit again and have a heart-to-heart talk with you.”

He ultimately couldn't let go of Amado, this "native" with exceptional scientific talent.

Finding a scientist on this planet who can understand and advance his plans is incredibly difficult.

Amado looked at Cixian with a calm expression.

He instantly deduced that the mysterious person who had approached him that day must have also gone to see Cixian. Moreover, judging from Cixian's current efforts to conceal his true intentions and his proactive approach, Cixian had probably suffered a loss at the hands of the other party.

Amado didn't hide anything and went straight to the point: "After you left that day, a mysterious person did come to our door. He mentioned the matter of clones not having souls. Mr. Cixian, shouldn't you give me a clearer explanation regarding this?"

Cixian didn't seem surprised. He gracefully pulled up a chair and sat down, resting his forehead on one hand with a slightly troubled expression.

“It seems that guy… wasn’t telling you the truth either.” Cixian shook his head slightly, his tone carrying a hint of meaning: “About the ‘Pure Land’.”

“Pure Land?” Amado frowned.

The mysterious person did not mention "Pure Land," but the legend that the soul of the dead returns to Pure Land has been circulating among the people of the ninja world for a long time.

“That’s right, the Pure Land.” Cixian looked at Amado, his eyes becoming serious: “Mr. Amado, I have confirmed that I concealed your desire to resurrect your daughter. Because neither I nor the mysterious person who approached you can bring your daughter’s soul back from the ‘Pure Land’.”

He paused, then offered his bargaining chip: "So, my original plan was for you to first complete the cloning technology, create the perfect vessel and a group of highly capable clones, join my organization, and assist me in completing the great plan of 'planting the Divine Tree.' Once the Divine Tree absorbs enough energy and bears the 'Chakra Fruit,' we can reclaim the fruit and then have enough power to break down the barriers of the Pure Land and retrieve your daughter's soul."

"Planting a divine tree? Chakra fruit?" Amado's eyes behind his orange sunglasses became serious.

This was the first time he had heard Cixian mention these unfamiliar terms, and he keenly grasped the key point: "What does this have to do with finding my daughter's soul?"

Jigen leaned forward slightly, his voice low, carrying a bewitching charm: "Because, to forcibly bring back a specific soul from the Pure Land, we might have to directly confront the being that guards the Pure Land—Otsutsuki Hagoromo."

“Otsutsuki…Hagoromo?” Amado repeated the unfamiliar name, but having no ancient family lineage, Amado had never heard of this name before.

"Is he... the Grim Reaper of the Pure Land?"

Jigen shook his head, a complex expression mixed with contempt on his face: "According to what you ninjas say, he is known as the founder of the Ninja Sect, the Sage of Six Paths."

"The Sage of Six Paths?!" Amado was completely stunned, his face filled with disbelief.

How did this involve figures from mythology and legends?
And is the Sage of Six Paths really real?
“That’s right, the Sage of Six Paths.” Jigen nodded, his tone becoming even more inflammatory: “To retrieve your daughter’s soul from the Pure Land, you must find a way to weaken or even counter Hagoromo Otsutsuki’s control over the Pure Land. Planting the Divine Tree, gathering the chakra of this world, and bearing chakra fruits is the only way to obtain power sufficient to contend with it!”

Jigen's words were half true and half false, packaging his purpose of devouring planetary energy and converting it into chakra fruits as gaining power to fight against the "Guardians of the Pure Land".

For Amado, who was unaware of the truth and only wanted to resurrect his daughter, this story was extremely impactful and tempting, making it difficult for him to distinguish between truth and falsehood.

Jigen's ultimate goal remained unchanged: to completely bind Amado, this genius scientist, to his cause, and to use his technology to cultivate a qualified "vessel" capable of carrying his reincarnation.

………………

Tottori Castle, on the eastern border of the Land of Stars.

This fortress, perched strategically on the upper reaches of the You River, was once a vital barrier for the Kingdom of Demons against external enemies.

Today, it has become a core hub of the eastern border defense line of the Star Kingdom.

The towering castle tower overlooks the rushing Yuhe River below, and the magnificent giant dam on the river that regulates the water volume of the downstream Yuhe Plain.

East of Tottori Castle lies the vast, barren, and rugged Gobi plateau of the Land of Earth, as desolate as the surface of an alien planet.

At this moment, the atmosphere inside and outside the mountain city was somber.

Teams of Star Ninjas clad in dark blue chakra-powered armor were busily reinforcing the defenses and inspecting the large kunai spears mounted on the city walls.

The air was thick with the solemnity of an impending great battle.

Uchiha Hikaru stood atop the castle tower of Tottori Mountain Castle, the hem of his deep blue clan robe fluttering in the wind, the Uchiha clan crest with its flames trembling slightly in the strong highland wind.

Her long, black hair was also blown by the wind, but in her scarlet eyes, three tomoe slowly rotated as she gazed at the vast and barren Gobi Plateau to the east.

Uchiha Hikaru's mere presence caused the surrounding Star Ninja to instinctively hold their breath.

She arrived here in her complete Susanoo form, having flown directly from the front lines of the Death Sands across the entire Land of Stars.

Clearly, although Onoki moved quickly, an army of tens of thousands could not outrun a single individual.
The summer ninja knelt beside Uchiha Hikaru, his expression grave, and reported: "Lord Hikaru, the defensive fortifications centered on the Tottori Dam and Tottori Castle have been reinforced to the highest standards. All the patrol teams along the border have reported the same thing: the exact location of the Iwagakure main force has not yet been found."

"They're here." Uchiha Hikaru didn't turn around; his voice was cold and clear, like the wind blowing across the plateau.

She did not rely on ordinary investigative methods.

Instead, they obtained intelligence continuously sent by spies lurking within Iwagakure through the chakra network inscribed with Tsukuyomi. Upon hearing this, Natsumi's heart skipped a beat, and she followed Uchiha Hikaru's gaze, looking into the distance.

At first, only a blurry, constantly wriggling black line appeared on the horizon.

But soon, the black line spread and approached at an astonishing speed, transforming into a vast crowd of people covering the mountains and fields.

Tens of thousands of Iwagakure ninjas, clad in earthen-yellow armor, surged towards the crucial fortress guarding the upper reaches of the Youhe River like a burst dam, carrying with them swirling dust.

On the city wall, the Star Ninjas, clad in deep blue chakra-powered armor, gripped their kunai tightly. The muzzles of various large defensive weapons were adjusted to point eastward, and the air was filled with the heavy pressure of an impending great battle.

The Iwagakure army slowly came to a stop a few miles away from Tottori Castle.

At the very front of the group, a short figure hovered in mid-air; it was none other than the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki.

He crossed his arms, his white beard fluttering in the wind beneath his strawberry-shaped nose, and stared intently at Tottori Castle with a serious expression.

Behind him, the elite Jonin of Iwagakure quickly gathered.

Huangtu, Chitu, Wenya, Shou, Moxie, Wuguang, Zhixu, and others were all present.

Even Roshi, the four-tailed jinchūriki who usually doesn't participate in such activities and had been traveling around after arguing with Onoki recently, was forcibly summoned back by Onoki and was prominently listed alongside Han, the five-tailed jinchūriki.

To prepare for this surprise attack, Onoki practically emptied Iwagakure's coffers. The sheer number of tens of thousands of ninjas was enough to suffocate any ninja village. Even the Third Raikage was worn down to death by this attack.

Huang Tu stepped forward and whispered, “Father, shall we proceed as planned? I will lead a thousand men to besiege Tottori Castle and tie down the defending forces. At the same time, I will send Kari’s demolition squad to raid the Tottori Dam. Once the dam is destroyed, the downstream Yuhe Plain will be submerged. The main force will follow you directly south to take the Star Capital!”

Onoki nodded slightly, about to give an order, when Bunga suddenly pointed in the direction of Tottori Castle: "Lord Tsuchikage! Someone is coming down from the castle!"

Onoki squinted and saw a figure leap down from the castle tower like a light bird, landing steadily on a craggy rock after a few leaps.

She was a girl with a cool and aloof appearance, long black hair, wearing a dark blue Uchiha clan robe with a high collar. The Star Ninja headband on her forehead reflected a cold light in the sunlight, and a ninja sword hung at her waist.

What is most striking is her pair of Sharingan eyes with three tomoe, which are calmly watching the tens of thousands of soldiers.

“It’s her… Uchiha Hikaru from the Star Ninja.” Wen Ya said in a deep voice, his tone tinged with apprehension.

"Hmph, of course I recognize those unpleasant eyes!" Onoki snorted irritably, but those eyes stirred up some extremely unpleasant memories in his heart.

He floated forward for a distance, his voice echoing across the battlefield: "Little girl over there! What, is there no one left in the Land of Stars? You think you can stop my tens of thousands of Iwagakure troops all by yourself? Even the Third Raikage back then, no, even if Madara Uchiha were to be resurrected, there would be no way you could do it!"

He tried to intimidate the other party with words, while also testing their strengths and weaknesses.

Based on the intelligence he obtained from the deal with the Akatsuki organization, he knew that the girl in front of him was no ordinary Uchiha ninja, but someone who had mastered Susanoo and was suspected to be a descendant of Uchiha Madara!
But Onoki also firmly believed that with Dust Release and tens of thousands of ninjas, he was no match for a single person.

Uchiha Hikaru crossed his arms, his posture aloof and arrogant, as if the dark army before him were nothing more than a swarm of ants.

She remembered Menma's instructions before she left. Although she felt a little awkward about this kind of "using one's seniority" line, she still followed the plan and spoke in an older, condescending tone: "Uchiha Madara... do you know that brat?"

"A... brat?!" Onoki almost choked on his breath.

He had lived for decades, and this was the first time a girl who looked old enough to be his granddaughter had addressed the man who had left him with a lifelong psychological trauma in such a way.

"Insolent little brat! Uchiha Madara is a contemporary of mine! In terms of seniority..."

"Oh?" Uchiha Hikaru interrupted him, a hint of mockery flashing in his scarlet Sharingan.

"I remember now. I heard that back then there was a brat who didn't know his place and followed the Second Tsuchikage to Konoha, hoping to negotiate with the God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju. In the end, he didn't even get to see Hashirama before he was scared out of his wits by Madara Uchiha and fled back to the Land of Earth. Could that brat be you?"

These words, so direct and hurtful, struck at the deepest wound in Onoki's heart like the sharpest kunai.

That painful past was a nightmare he tried to forget his entire life.

Being brought up in public, especially by a junior member of the Uchiha clan, he felt a surge of anger rush to his head, his beard trembling with rage: "You...you little brat! Talking nonsense! Even if you are a descendant of Uchiha Madara, today I will teach you a lesson on behalf of your elders!"

"Descendants?" Uchiha Hikaru snorted coldly, his voice not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of every Iwagakure ninja.

“You’ve got it backwards, Onoki brat. By seniority, that Uchiha Madara should respectfully call me Great-Grandma.”

"Great-great-grandmother?!"

Now, not only Onoki, but also the group of Iwagakure Jonin behind him looked at each other in disbelief and absurdity.

If this girl in front of me looks no more than fifteen or sixteen years old, and she is Madara Uchiha's great-grandmother, then she must be an old monster who has lived for an incredibly long time.

how can that be!

Ignoring their shock, Uchiha Hikaru continued in his calm tone, "By the way, Onoki brat, have you... ever seen Uchiha Madara at his peak?"

As soon as the question was asked, an invisible yet heavy pressure descended upon the room.

Onoki felt his heart suddenly clench, and cold sweat uncontrollably seeped from his forehead.

Even though the other party was just standing there, without even drawing his ninja sword, it made him feel as if he had returned to the day when he was dominated by the figure of Uchiha Madara.

That deep-seated fear resurfaced clearly after decades.

He forced himself to remain calm, and roared with feigned bravado, "Of course... I've seen him! I was a powerful warrior who once faced off against Uchiha Madara!"

Onoki added in his mind: Although it was a one-sided crushing defeat.

"Is that so?" Uchiha Hikaru's lips curled up slightly, forming an arrogant arc: "That's perfect. Now, use these old eyes to see clearly how ridiculous it is to compare me with that brat named Uchiha Madara."

She slowly lowered her arms, leaned forward slightly, and assumed a charging stance.

"Ready...to dance, kids?"

Before she finished speaking, her figure had already disappeared from the giant rock.

The next moment, he appeared a hundred meters away and charged straight at the tens of thousands of Iwagakure troops!

It moved so fast that it left a faint afterimage in its place.

Onoki's expression changed drastically, and he shouted sharply, "Everyone be careful! Don't look directly into her Sharingan!"

"Arrogant!" The Scorpion Jonin, known for his fiery temper, was enraged when he saw that the other party actually dared to charge into the fray alone.

"Just a little brat pretending to be a ghost! Let me take you on!" Beside him, the ninja Muko, also enraged by the other's attitude, waved his hand: "Attack!"

Hundreds of Iwagakure ninja, like a swarm of bees startled, charged towards Uchiha Hikaru amidst roars and shouts.

They wanted to show this arrogant little girl with facts that the difference in numbers couldn't be bridged by words alone!

In an instant, kunai and shuriken rained down like a storm, and dozens of ninjas simultaneously formed hand seals.

"Turong Tulong Spear!"

"Earth Release·Rock Pillar Spear!"

"Wind Escape·Big Breakthrough!"

Countless sharp stone spears burst from the ground, mixed with violent wind pressure, instantly covering a large area in front of Uchiha Hikari, attempting to drown and tear her apart.

Despite the combined ninjutsu attack that was enough to instantly destroy an elite squad, Uchiha Hikaru's expression remained unchanged.

Her Sharingan spun at high speed, clearly capturing and analyzing the trajectory of all ninjutsu and the flow of chakra.

Her figure moved like a ghost between the stone spears and wind blades, sometimes turning to the side, sometimes leaping up, sometimes diving down at the slightest difference in distance, and none of the attacks could even touch the hem of her clothes!

"So fast!"

"How can it be?!"

The Iwagakure Chunin at the forefront only saw a blur before their eyes, and the deep blue figure had already passed through the area covered by the ninjutsu, appearing in front of them as if by teleportation.

Uchiha Hikaru's attack was lightning fast.

Her attacks incorporated the Sharingan's insightful observations and the sharp, powerful techniques characteristic of the Uchiha school of taijutsu.

The chakra gathered in his fist precisely struck the pressure points of several Chunin, disrupting their chakra flow.

puff!
"Ugh!"

Several muffled thuds were mixed with screams as the Chunin were sent flying like kites with broken strings, crashing heavily to the ground and instantly losing their fighting ability.

"Damn it!" The Explosion Release ninja, Hunti, rushed forward, his right fist clenched, condensing highly compressed Explosion Release chakra.

"Explosion Release: Landmine Fist!" He roared and slammed his fist into Uchiha Hikari's face, trying to blast her to pieces in the most violent way.

However, Uchiha Hikaru simply turned slightly to the side, reached out with his left hand, and precisely grabbed Kari's wrist.

The Sharingan coldly stared at his wide-open eyes, which were filled with astonishment.

"too slow."

Chakra erupted instantly, and a tremendous force surged through his wrist. He felt an irresistible force lift him up and slam him hard into the demon scorpion who was trying to launch a sneak attack!
boom!
The two screamed as they collided, tumbling and falling into the crowd of Iwagakure members, causing chaos.

Wuguang, wielding a long sword, appeared silently behind Uchiha Hikari, the blade slashing sharply towards the back of her neck.

'Success?!' The thought had barely formed in his mind when he saw the figure in front of him, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, strike back without turning his head, hitting the weakest point on the side of his blade.

clang!
A shockwave came, and Wu Guang felt his hand go numb, almost dropping the long sword.

He stared in disbelief at the other person's fair palm, which contained such terrifying power and precision.

"Go away."

Uchiha Hikaru gave a light rebuke, turned around and delivered a swift side kick, slamming it hard into Muko's abdomen.

Wu Guang didn't even have time to block. He was hit as if by a boulder, spitting out blood as he flew backward, crashing into a rock wall before coming to a stop.

In just a few breaths, several elite Jonin, including Kari, Scorpion, and Muko, who were renowned in Iwagakure, collapsed to the ground in a sorry state, some groaning in pain, others completely unconscious.

The hundreds of Chunin and Genin who attacked her did not slow down Uchiha Hikari's speed; instead, they became a backdrop to highlight her terrifying strength.

Kunai and shuriken futilely pierced the ground behind her, earth-style stone walls rose up only to close just after she had passed by, and wind and fire-style techniques couldn't even touch the hem of her clothes.

She truly seemed to be strolling in her own backyard, her deep blue figure drawing an unstoppable trail through the ochre-colored crowd.

Wherever they went, the Iwagakure ninja fell like stalks of wheat harvested by an invisible scythe.

The cracking of bones breaking, the clinking of ninja tools slipping from hands, and the suppressed screams of pain intertwined to create a cruel battlefield symphony.

Her movements were concise and efficient. Her Sharingan accurately predicted every attack, and every dodge and counterattack was perfectly timed, without any superfluous movements. It was as if killing itself had become an art.

In just a short while, the hundreds of Iwa ninja who had launched their attack with great momentum had a huge "hole" torn open in the center of their formation.

Uchiha Hikaru stood alone in the center of this "vacuum zone" formed by fallen ninjas, with two or three hundred Iwagakure ninjas lying at his feet, more than half of whom were no longer breathing.

On the battlefield of ninjas, the difference in strength is so cruel that a Jonin can kill a Chunin or Genin as easily as crushing an ant.

Uchiha Hikaru paused slightly, raised his hand, and gently patted the dust off his clan robes with a composed demeanor.

A gentle breeze from the plateau swept by, ruffling her long, black hair and revealing her cool and delicate face.

Her crimson Sharingan calmly scanned the surroundings. Every Iwagakure ninja whose gaze fell upon her felt a chill run down their spines and to the top of their heads. They instinctively took a half-step back, their palms, which were tightly gripping their weapons, were covered in cold sweat. Not a single one dared to step forward.

“This guy…” The four-tailed Jinchuriki, Rōshi, and the five-tailed Jinchuriki, Han, had arrived beside Ōnoki, whose face was ashen.

Old Purple crossed his arms, his molten chakra churning within him. He turned his head and whispered to Onoki, who was floating in the air, "Her tone, which showed no respect for Uchiha Madara... she doesn't seem like a descendant of Uchiha Madara at all."

Onoki frowned, and his wrinkles seemed to deepen.

The other person's repeated use of the term "little devil," and the condescending, elder-like manner when recounting past events, all aroused his suspicions.

When did the Uchiha clan produce such a person?
Could it be that Madara Uchiha had some unknown powerful peers still alive?
The thought made him feel uneasy.

Just then, Uchiha Hikaru suddenly clasped his hands together in front of his chest, forming an extremely simple "未" (un) hand seal.

However, this simple action caused Onoki's pupils to suddenly contract, and a strong sense of foreboding welled up in his heart.

"Fire Escape·The Great Fire Extinguishes!"

The cool, clear voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly across the battlefield.

The next moment, Uchiha Hikaru parted her lips slightly, and a surge of chakra, as powerful as a tsunami, erupted out, transforming into an overwhelming wave of scorching fire!

The flames were dark red in color. After surging out, they instantly formed a huge wall of flames that was nearly ten meters high and covered a width of over a hundred meters. With overwhelming force, it swept towards the direction of the Iwagakure army!

The air distorted and evaporated under the high temperature, and the sand and gravel underfoot instantly melted and crystallized!

"How can it be?!"

"Are you kidding me! This range is way too exaggerated!"

"Great Fire Annihilation... Is this really the scale that a B-rank ninjutsu can achieve?!"

Faced with this fire jutsu that seemed like a natural disaster, the Iwagakure ninjas' previous courage was instantly replaced by fear, and screams and gasps filled the air.

Even before the scorching heat reached their bodies, the ninjas in the front row already felt difficulty breathing and their skin stinging.

"Don't panic! Water Release ninjas, advance! Combine the Water Formation Wall!" The experienced Wen Ya suppressed the shock in his heart and shouted at the top of his lungs, trying to stabilize the situation.

Immediately, a dozen or so elite Iwagakure members skilled in Water Release rushed out, gritting their teeth and quickly forming hand seals.

"Water Escape·Water Formation Wall!"

"Water escape·Water chaos!"

"Water Release·Water Dragon Bullet!"

They exerted all their strength, transforming their chakra into a surging torrent of water.

Walls of water, torrents of water, and even a roaring water dragon spewed from their mouths or hands, attempting to join forces to resist this devastating firestorm.

laugh--!!!!

The massive wall of fire collided violently with the combined water escape technique, producing a deafening roar.

The scorching flames and the icy water eroded and annihilated each other, instantly bursting forth with a massive amount of scalding white steam, which spread rapidly in all directions like the shock wave of an explosion!
Thick, impenetrable steam instantly enveloped most of the front-line battlefield, reducing visibility to less than a few meters. Scalding water droplets slapped against the faces of the Iwagakure ninjas, causing a stinging sensation, while the strong winds made it impossible for them to open their eyes, inevitably causing a slight disruption to their formation.

The aftershocks of the ninja clash had not yet completely subsided, and the thick steam that filled the battlefield acted like a heavy curtain, obscuring everyone's vision.

"Watch out!" The usually taciturn Han, clad in red armor and carrying a steam-powered device, suddenly issued a stern warning.

His perception of steam far surpasses that of ordinary people. Just now, he keenly sensed that the steam curtain was forcibly torn open by an extremely swift force!

However, his warning came too late.

The dense steam seemed to be sliced ​​through by a sharp blade, and a deep blue figure shot out suddenly at a speed beyond the limits of visual perception!

Onoki, who had been on guard all along, never expected that after unleashing such a large-scale fire jutsu, his opponent could still instantly unleash such terrifying speed, and even precisely use steam to conceal the trajectory of the attack!

He only felt a blur before his eyes were filled with an irresistible force that slammed into his chest and abdomen!

"puff--!"

Before Onoki could even mount any effective defense or dodge, his short body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, spitting out a spurt of blood. He crashed heavily into the crowd of Iwagakure members, causing a gasp and chaos.

"Father!"

"Lord Tsuchikage!"

Huang Tu, Chi Tu, and other trusted ninja were horrified to discover that they hadn't even been able to see the trajectory of their opponent's movements!

"You bastard!" Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, roared.

"Steam Armor - Activate!"

The valve on his back suddenly spewed out high-pressure steam with a sharp screech, and at the same time, a powerful surge of chakra erupted from his body, condensing into a white tail behind him.

With the instantaneous thrust from the steam burst and the boost from the Five-Tails' chakra, Han's speed suddenly increased to an astonishing level. He transformed into a red afterimage and rushed straight toward Uchiha Hikaru, who had just landed and seemed to be preparing for his next move!

A red steel fist, wreathed in high-temperature steam, tore through the air with a muffled whistle, and slammed into Uchiha Hikaru's seemingly frail back!
[PS: 30,000 words completed. If you have any spare monthly votes, feel free to cast them at the end of the month.]

(End of this chapter)