Fugaku has gone mad; he's going to create a new Uchiha clan in Kirigakure.

As the Watermelon Pufferfish roared, a blinding flash of lightning suddenly shone from the depths of the mist!

Raiga Kurosuki, who had been silent since the fog descended, suddenly appeared beside Suigetsu Hobuki.

He gripped the Thunder Blade Fang tightly with both hands, and the blue lightning crackling on the two blades became increasingly violent, emitting a piercing "sizzle" sound, as if suppressing an impending thunderbolt.

"Smash it, you bastard!!!"

With a roar, Kurozuki Raiga raised his twin swords high into the air and then they clashed violently together!

"Clang—!!!"

A piercing metallic clang was accompanied by a thick bolt of lightning shooting into the sky, piercing straight into the fog-shrouded heavens!

Only then did everyone realize that the sky above the Mist Concealment Technique had become overcast with thick, dark clouds hanging low, and muffled thunder rumbled faintly from within the clouds, like a lurking beast.

"Lightning Release: Lightning Burial!!!"

The roar of Kurozuki Raiga blended into the thunder in the sky!

In the next instant, the world lost its color!

Countless thick, silver lightning bolts, as large as giant pythons, tore through the thick fog and dark clouds, falling wildly from the sky with an aura of annihilation! They did not strike a single point precisely, but rather covered the entire central area of ​​the camp, which was covered by hair, like a torrential rain!

Lightning bolts struck one after another, incessantly, their silvery light illuminating the dim world in a ghastly white light.

The deafening thunder drowned out all other sounds, and violent currents surged and exploded wildly across the ground, in the mud, and on the tangled web of hair!

The entire camp seemed to have transformed into Thor's purgatory.

...

I don't know how much time has passed.

It might be a minute, or it might be longer.

As the last streak of lightning disappeared into the clouds, the deafening thunder gradually subsided, and the lingering smoke and the smell of burning began to slowly dissipate.

The thick fog that had enveloped the battlefield had long since been completely dispelled by the raging lightning.

The once thick, resilient hair of the Watermelon Pufferfish Demon, which had covered the battlefield, was now mostly reduced to charred ash, with only a few remnants remaining at the edges, emitting wisps of smoke. The ground was cratered and pitted, the mud in the swamp was dried and charred by the high temperature, and the air was filled with a pungent smell of ozone and burnt matter.

In the very center of the camp, there was a large area that was charred black like charcoal, as if something had been completely burned to ashes.

A moment later, at the edge of the scorched area, the ground bulged, and three disheveled figures emerged from underneath.

It was none other than Suigiyama Fuguki, Hibiki Juzo, and Kurosuki Raiga.

The three men were covered in charred mud and ash, their hair was disheveled, their clothes were torn, and their faces were streaked with black and white, but their eyes shone brightly as they stared at the charred center and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

...

"I see."

In the distance, Uchiha Fugaku, who had been standing with his sword in his hand, nodded slightly and muttered to himself.

The technique of concealing oneself in the mist was useless against him. With the help of the perception of the Yellow Springs Pool and the mud pit, he could "see" everything that had just happened on the battlefield clearly.

in short.

The first step was for Suigetsu Hozuki to have someone use Water Release, not only to test the waters, but also to make the entire area more wet and muddy, increasing its conductivity, and at the same time to determine what Obito's "Hollowfication" really was.

The second step, after confirming that the enemy could not escape the range of the [Yellow Springs Pool], was to start a seemingly chaotic melee. The purpose was not to kill, but to continuously apply pressure, force Obito to maintain his intangible state, prolong the duration of his eye technique, and deplete his energy.

The third step was to use the Hidden Mist Technique. The main purpose was not to completely block Obito's vision, but to conceal the movement of the gathering dark clouds in the sky and the chakra fluctuations of Raiga Kurosuki secretly preparing his ultimate move.

At the same time, Suigetsu Hozuki used the almost tailed beast-level chakra provided by Samehada to frantically grow his hair. This hair was not only to wrap the battlefield and isolate it from the outside world, but also to become a "lightning rod" and "barrier" to guide and withstand lightning in the final moment!

Finally, Kurozuki Raiga used a secret technique to summon lightning from heaven and earth, unleashing an indiscriminate saturation bombardment!

This scene is similar to Sasuke's "Kirin," but none of the three of them have Sharingan and cannot accurately control or guide the lightning's landing point. Normally, this would be suicide. In fact, in the original work, Raiga used this move to commit suicide.

Therefore, they chose the most brutal and effective method: to use the massive hair network of the Suigetsu Fuguki to directly intercept, guide, and bombard the enemy!

Without a doubt, this wasn't the first time these three had used this tactic.

The so-called close-quarters combat just now was all a lie to Obito Uchiha. With just a few simple words, he understood his meaning. It just goes to show how worthy they are of the First Seven Ninja Swordsmen. If they hadn't encountered an unbeatable opponent like Might Guy, their fame might have been even greater...

Of course, this move comes at a great cost.

The Samehada on Suigetsu's back, with its tongue lolling out and seemingly drained of all chakra, was truly "completely devoid of chakra." Perhaps this was partly the reason Samehada later "defected" to Kisame...

The good news is that this violent lightning strike, which lasted a full minute, just exceeded a certain critical point: five minutes.

Obito Uchiha's "Intangibility" actually broke through his defenses!

It's important to know that, in the original timeline, only Konan's six hundred billion explosive tags could sustain a continuous attack that forced Obito to materialize for more than five minutes.

However, bad news followed.

The BOSS has entered its second phase.

...

Just as the three members of Suigetsu, Hozuki, and Sushiro were panting with excitement, thinking victory was in their grasp...

"Boom!!!"

At the very center of that scorched area, the ground suddenly shook violently and bulged!

Then, to everyone's astonishment, countless thick, gnarled brown logs burst from the ground. They grew, intertwined, and combined at an astonishing speed, and in the blink of an eye, they transformed into a wooden giant more than ten meters tall, resembling a small mountain!

The giant was made entirely of wood that exuded a sense of life. Its outline was indistinct, but a human shape could be discerned. It stood silently in the scorched earth, radiating a suffocating sense of oppression.

"really..."

Fugaku Uchiha's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Ah Fei is in him."

Looking at the suddenly appearing giant wooden figure, he understood.

This essentially forced Obito to reveal his biggest trump card in his current state: Wood Release: Wood Human Technique from Tobi, one of the only two special White Zetsu.

In the original work, Tobi was attached to Yamato when he released this move, but it didn't really matter who he was attached to. At most, it just amplified the scale of the technique. After all, White Zetsu, as the original form of Wood Release, had a higher level of authority over Wood Release than Yamato. What right did you, a down-on-your-luck artificial body, have to show off to me, White Zetsu?

"boom!!!"

Without warning, the giant wooden Buddha hand rose up and, with the force to crush everything, slammed down on the three members of the Suigetsu Hozuki tribe below, who were slowed down by exhaustion!

A shadow loomed, and a fierce wind pressed down!

The three men's pupils shrank sharply as they tried to dodge, but the burst of power had exhausted too much of their stamina and chakra. Their bodies felt like they were filled with lead, and they could only watch helplessly as the enormous hand rapidly enlarged in their field of vision.

"It's over..."

The three exchanged glances, knowing they were probably about to die.

However, just as the giant hand was about to strike, the scorched ground beneath their feet suddenly became incredibly muddy and soft. Before the three could even cry out, they sank into the ground and disappeared.

"Bang!!!"

The enormous wooden hand slammed down on the ground, but instead of causing blood and flesh to fly everywhere, it stirred up clouds of charred mud.

"Uchiha Fugaku!!!"

From the chest cavity of the wooden giant came Obito Uchiha's furious roar, a mixture of his own voice and Tobi's accent.

the reason is simple.

As a special White Zetsu, "Tobi" possesses the ability to simulate and use various abilities, including Wood Release. However, White Zetsu are not orthodox ninjas; they are more like "plants," relying on the "fruit" energy they accumulate to unleash their abilities.

Of course, if that were all, he wouldn't be so angry!

The problem is that this fruit can accumulate power; over time, it will grow stronger and stronger, perhaps even rivaling Hashirama Senju's ninjutsu. Being forced to use this long-accumulated "Wood Golem Fruit" now effectively interrupts his long period of preparation. It's uncertain how long it will take to reach the level of the First Hokage...

However, when he turned around, he found that Fugaku Uchiha was nowhere to be seen, and even the surrounding ninjas were gone; they had all been moved outside the camp...

...

"Fugaku, are you alright?"

In the distance, a giant wooden figure stood tall. Uchiha Mikoto looked at her husband with worry in her eyes, and even wanted to continue supporting him.

"Relax, relax."

Fugaku Uchiha patted Mikoto's hand, both amused and exasperated.

"Without using my abilities, my chakra reserves aren't particularly high, but I'm not that weak either, so I don't need you to support me."

"Pooh!"

Upon hearing certain words, Mikoto Uchiha blushed slightly and spat at Fugaku Uchiha. After all, Fugaku's tricks had become increasingly elaborate these past few days...

"Besides, there's also Hades, isn't there?"

As he spoke, Fugaku Uchiha took Mei Terumi's soft hand and began to knead it.

"Hmph! What are you going to do with that big guy?"

Although they are temporarily safe, the enemy remains. They haven't even defeated them. On the contrary, just as Fugaku Uchiha had initially predicted, every Kirigakure ninja is feeling the pressure that only top-tier powerhouses can exert...

"Peace of mind."

Fugaku Uchiha took a deep breath, his chakra nourishing his vocal cords, and his loud voice resounded through the sky.

"Konoha ninjas, it's your turn!!"

As Fugaku Uchiha finished speaking, countless figures leaped out from the west side of the Hidden Mist camp, instantly enveloping the giant tree-man!

As expected, they were Konoha ninjas!

The leader was an elderly man wearing glasses, accompanied by a white-haired ninja.

"Konoha?"

Beside them, Uchiha Mikoto and Terumi Mei were both stunned, their faces filled with astonishment.

"What's going on?"

Especially with Mei Terumi's blue eyes full of doubt, if she didn't trust him enough, she might have taken a half step back, just like the other Hidden Mist ninjas.

Fugaku Uchiha reached out and gently ruffled Mei Terumi's slightly messy hair.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"I have a grudge against Konoha, and Konoha sees me as a thorn in their side, but..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the grotesque wooden giant.

"Konoha's hatred for this mysterious person is even greater. The Nine-Tails' rampage, the death of the Fourth Hokage, and the casualties of countless civilians—this blood feud is etched into their very bones."

"Therefore, cooperation is naturally possible."

"Is...is this even possible?"

Mei Terumi blinked, feeling her worldview being shaken. The difference between the bloodline faction and the non-bloodline faction could be attributed to manipulation, and now that the misunderstanding was cleared up, they might be able to mend their relationship in the future. However, Konoha had indeed massacred more than four hundred Uchiha ninjas, and it was a deliberate and intentional act without any excuse.

"Nothing is impossible. Children see things in black and white. Adults only care about interests."

Fugaku Uchiha chuckled softly, withdrawing his hand. His gaze deepened and calmed. He had seen too much of this in his past life. His own country had suffered such immense losses in World War II, yet it still maintained diplomatic relations with Japan in the 1970s, joined hands with the United States in the 1980s, and fully cooperated with the US in the new century. Even after the Trade Revolution, it still swallowed many bitter pills from the US, buying oil, soybeans, graphics cards—it bought everything...

Everyone says their country is cowardly, but facts have proven that this behavior is correct.

At least, in the timeline before his transmigration, his homeland was already capable of directly confronting the United States, and all of this had taken only seventy years...

Exhaling slowly, Fugaku Uchiha pulled himself out of his thoughts and continued speaking.

"Do you think Konoha wants me to be well? They'd rather I be dead. Every day I exist is a thorn in Konoha's side, because they fear retaliation from the Uchiha clan. I feel the same way; I wish the Konoha leadership would pay the price. Without their constant pressure, how could there be so many pro-war factions within the Uchiha clan!"

"But like I taught you before, this is politics, it's a game, it's compromise."

"Remove all sentimental and emotional thinking, leaving only the coldest and purest... weighing of interests. Today, you can't kill me with a knife, but tomorrow, we can still do business."

"Mitokado Homura, this guy is also a qualified politician. Faced with an opportunity to severely damage or even eliminate the 'true culprit of the Nine-Tails' rampage,' he will naturally make the choice that is most beneficial to Konoha."

...

"Four Red Yang Formation!!"

In the distance, the angry roars of Konoha ninjas could be heard.

In the blink of an eye, a massive crimson cube rose from the ground, sealing Obito Uchiha and the giant wooden dummy inside. No matter how the wooden dummy bombarded the area, the massive formation remained unchanged; only ripples appeared along the edges of the barrier...

"As expected, although he was an annoying old man in the original story, how could someone who could touch that spot be completely useless?"

With the help of the Mangekyou Sharingan's observational abilities.

Fugaku Uchiha could see clearly that this was a joint ninjutsu used by these hundreds of Konoha ninja, but the real mastermind was Homura Mitokado.

In the original work, this thing trapped and killed the Ten-Tails' shell.

Of course, that was a barrier that only four peak-level Kage, including the overpowered Hashirama Senju, could use.

Currently, Mitokado Homura's version is most likely a weakened version, but it's not the Ten-Tails that's sealed away...

...

"Lord Mitomon, you actually chose to cooperate with him."

At the sealing point outside the barrier, Kakashi and Homura Mitokado maintained the hand seals together, but Kakashi still couldn't help but ask a question.

After all, when they were preparing, Kakashi firmly believed that the sealing team of hundreds of people sent by Konoha this time was trying to fight against Fugaku Uchiha's Susanoo through sealing.

"From the beginning, I never intended to confront Fugaku Uchiha head-on, because he had hostages in his hands. I specially brought this sealing team here because I wanted to take advantage of the problems within Kirigakure to find an opportunity to reverse the sealing of the East Coast Market, and use the Uchiha clan members as bargaining chips to negotiate with Fugaku Uchiha."

Mitomon En had a cigarette dangling from his mouth, and his speech was somewhat muffled.

"However, that night, Fugaku Uchiha actually came to me directly and told me about this mysterious person."

At this point, his voice lowered slightly.

"The threat from the Uchiha clan is great, but that's mostly in the future. The threat from this mysterious person, however, has always existed."

"Because he can summon the Nine-Tails?"

"That's right. Even though Konoha doesn't allow women to be Jinchuriki after Kushina, it's still a sword hanging over our heads! If we can take him down here today and eliminate this threat forever, that would be the best outcome! Even if we can't take him down, we must make him pay a heavy price or obtain enough information about him!"

"And...what happened next?"

Kakashi asked the key question.

"hehe."

Mitomon's lips curled into a meaningful, seasoned politician's smile, but he did not answer.