The village was completely cut off, and the army of the Land of Fire was fast approaching.
Tsunade let out a slow breath, her expression grim as she turned to Uchiha Shin.
"The people of Konoha are panicking. I can no longer suppress public sentiment. If we don't give them something to rally behind, the village will fall apart before the enemy even arrives."
Her golden eyes lingered on Shin, her unspoken request clear.
Uchiha Shin sneered.
"Panic? Hah! A bunch of ignorant fools. I'm not wasting my time talking to them. When I win, they'll shut up and follow." His crimson Sharingan gleamed. "If I hear them spewing nonsense and pissing me off, I might not be able to control myself. It won't be about stabilizing morale, but whether the village can handle a massacre."
Tsunade stiffened. For a brief moment, she saw a glimpse of the same ruthless power that once belonged to the "Ghost of the Uchiha," a monster who razed battlefields without remorse.
She knew better than to press him.
"Yeah, no," she muttered, waving her hands. "You're right. Stay inside. We'll figure something else out."
Swiftly changing the subject, she updated him on the latest developments in the village.
"We've been keeping an eye on the clans. A week ago, Akimichi Torifu fled with a group of his people, heading for the Land of Fire's army. The Nara, Yamanaka, Aburame, and Inuzuka have also seen defectors."
Shin remained unmoved. This was expected.
"The Senju won't betray us, and obviously, neither will I," Tsunade continued. "But what's surprising is the Hatake clan. Hatake Sakumo personally executed several traitors trying to leave. The entire clan is stable under him."
"Interesting," Shin murmured. "The Hyuga, too, I assume?"
Tsunade nodded. "They seem to have made their choice. I think they realized that standing against you would be suicide."
Shin smirked. "Hinata, Hatake… Give them more power in the upper ranks. Reward them with land from the traitors."
His generosity wasn't driven by kindness—he simply understood loyalty needed incentives. He crushed his enemies mercilessly, but he never forgot to elevate those who stood with him.
The Hyuga likely saw the writing on the wall. Their vaunted superiority was nothing in the face of raw, undeniable power. Better to side with him and enjoy the spoils of war than be wiped out.
The Hatake, on the other hand, were a different story. The clan was small, nearly extinct save for Sakumo and his son. They didn't possess any kekkei genkai or secret techniques like the other major clans, but Sakumo's sheer power kept them relevant.
Shin had to admit, he respected that.
"The rest is up to you," Shin said lazily. "Konoha's military strength is pointless to me, but send them all out. Let them prove their worth."
Tsunade sighed. "Shin, you could at least pretend to care. I don't mind hearing your bullshit, but if others hear you talking like this, they'll lose what little confidence they have."
Shin snorted, amused by her concern.
Tsunade knew him better than anyone. As his lover, she had watched his evolution firsthand. The once-restrained prodigy had long since discarded the need to hide his true nature. Absolute strength had given him absolute confidence.
She could only shake her head as she left to prepare for battle.
Over time, Shin had shaped her into something much stronger than before. Under his brutal training, she had mastered Sage Mode and learned the truth about Wood Release—not a mere combination of Earth and Water, but a fusion with Yang Release at its core.
Now, she was a true powerhouse, one of the few capable of standing at his side, both in battle and elsewhere.
The village square was filled with shinobi and civilians alike, all desperate for reassurance. They wanted to see their leader. They wanted to see Uchiha Shin.
Instead, only Tsunade emerged.
She offered a few sharp, practical words before leading the shinobi forces out. The heads of the remaining clans, uneasy, gathered to demand an explanation.
"Where is Lord Hokage?" one of them asked, voice tinged with anxiety.
Tsunade met their gazes coolly. "Hokage-sama will appear when he deems it necessary. For now, our duty is to prove our worth to him."
The weight of her words sank in quickly.
Shin had made it abundantly clear: he had no need for useless subordinates. Those who wished to be in his good graces had to show their value.
The clans had already benefited immensely from his reign—land, power, and influence redistributed after the annihilation of the Sarutobi and Shimura bloodlines. But nothing was free. If they wanted to keep their positions, they needed to earn them.
Understanding dawned across their faces. No more questions were asked.
Soon after, the ninja army set off, led by Tsunade.
From atop the Hokage Monument, Uchiha Shin watched the procession with detached amusement. His Sharingan flickered as he observed the tides of war shift below.
His gaze landed on a familiar figure among the departing troops.
"Mikoto…" he muttered.
He frowned slightly. He hadn't expected her to join the battle. But then again, it was merely a skirmish against the Land of Fire's samurai. Nothing to be concerned about.
His eyes turned to the east.
The real threat wasn't the samurai. The Land of Fire's forces had divided into two groups, and their actual strike force consisted of three thousand shinobi from various nations.
This was their true dagger, poised to stab Konoha from the side.
And among them were the traitorous ninja from Konoha's own clans—including Akimichi Torifu.
Shin's smirk widened.
A slaughter was coming.
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