The news spread quickly.
"Neji Hyuga is advancing toward Kikyō Castle?"
Yugito Nii, cloaked in a swirling red mantle of Tailed Beast chakra, didn't react with surprise. Her voice remained calm, steady—almost cold—despite the ferocious chakra boiling beneath her skin. The Two-Tails' demonic power pulsed behind her, yet she moved as though the weight of its presence was nothing.
The two Kumogakure ninja beside her stiffened, careful not to speak out of turn. Even the slightest tremor in their voices might provoke the Tailed Beast chakra that surrounded her, and both knew they would not survive such a mistake.
From the Konoha observation point in the distance, Yamanaka Inoichi monitored the enemy through sensory technique. His expression was grave.
"The Two-Tails… she's nearly a perfect jinchūriki," he muttered. "Far more stable than the Nine-Tails jinchūriki ever was."
Suddenly—
Yugito's eyes narrowed sharply.
"Where did these little bugs crawl out from?"
She turned her head toward a dense shadowed section of forest on her right. In that instant, the hearts of the Konoha forces hidden among the trees froze.
We've been found!
The earth trembled.
A group of Akimichi clan members burst from their concealment, retreating at high speed. Panic twisted across their faces.
A beat later—
CRACK—BOOM!
A massive crimson claw of Tailed Beast chakra erupted from beneath the ground, shredding through soil and rock like paper. It skewered two Akimichi before they even understood what happened.
"An Akimichi squad?" Yugito muttered coldly. "So the Ino–Shika–Chō have sent their people?"
The remaining Akimichi activated their Multi-Size Technique, bodies swelling to massive proportions. Yugito, however, looked almost annoyed by their persistence.
"Ninja Art: Mind Transfer Technique!"
A sharp voice echoed through the trees. Yugito's mind flickered. For an instant, her vision blurred—
—and then she was looking at her own Tailed Beast form from the outside.
"Shadow Imitation!"
Multiple dark shadows slithered across the ground from behind like serpents, stretching toward her immobilized body.
"Human Bullet Tank!"
Two enormous spherical figures—Akimichi in full rotation—launched themselves from opposite directions, aiming to crush her helpless form.
But at that critical moment—
ROOOAR!
The Two-Tails intervened.
The mighty chakra beast shook its consciousness violently, snapping Yugito free of the Mind Transfer.
She snapped back into her body and crossed her chakra-claws in front of her—
BOOM!!
The two Human Bullet Tanks slammed into her guard, but Yugito executed a perfect counter, pushing both massive bodies back with overwhelming force.
The ground quaked as the Akimichi were flung backward, skidding across the burning terrain.
"Fireball!"
This time it wasn't a ninjutsu sequence. The Tailed Beast's power surged through Yugito's lungs, and she spewed forth blazing fireballs, each five to six meters wide.
Trees vaporized.
The forest ignited into a sea of fire.
A single volley of these monstrous flames consumed chakra equal to five Jonin combined—something only a jinchūriki could wield so recklessly.
"Persistent insects," Yugito whispered, watching the flames devour the shadows.
Just as she prepared to move—
"Incoming. From above."
A deep feminine voice echoed from the depths of her mind.
The Two-Tails.
Yugito's head snapped upward.
Something green cut through the clouds of black smoke—
—then slammed into the earth with explosive force.
KRAAASH!
Shattered stone flew outward. The dust settled just enough for Yugito to see the figure clearly.
A strange man with a bowl-cut.
Strong jawline.
Eyebrows thick enough to cast their own shadows.
A coating of vibrant green chakra wrapped around him, forming a shimmering aura.
Yugito blinked once.
"…Those eyebrows are absurdly thick."
"Be careful," the Two-Tails warned. "He isn't normal. That chakra—he has opened the Sixth Gate. The Gate of View."
Yugito's smirk froze.
She knew the Eight Gates. Every Kage-class ninja did.
Forbidden techniques recorded in ancient scrolls—techniques whose full power dwarfed even the legendary Five Kage. She had once attempted to learn similar forbidden arts from the scrolls…
…only to discover she lacked the immense physical talent needed.
Better to walk her own path than die chasing someone else's.
The green-clad man rushed over to a burning, wounded Choza Akimichi and helped him up gently.
"Choza-senpai, are you injured?"
One glance at Choza's chest told the truth: even with the Akimichi body-expansion techniques, the Tailed Beast's claws had torn through his defenses.
Choza grimaced. "I'm not dying today… but this enemy is no joke."
The man—Might Guy—turned toward Yugito, his expression grave and focused.
"You can leave this opponent to me."
Choza's expression twisted with worry. "No, Guy! Don't. Even if you defeat the Two-Tails using the Eight Gates, you'll lose your ability to fight. Kumogakure still has at least two Kage-level shinobi in reserve. We can't afford that loss!"
Guy didn't respond. He simply stepped forward.
A single stomp—
—and the ground shattered beneath him.
He vanished.
To Choza, it looked like Guy simply disappeared.
"Secret Technique: Bug Cloud."
The air trembled with a deafening hum.
A vast cloud of insects surged toward Yugito—Aburame clan members, dozens of them, unleashing their most dangerous and coordinated technique.
Under normal circumstances, even a Kage-level opponent would be unable to dodge this living storm. Aburame insects devoured chakra itself; a single touch could drain an ordinary shinobi dry.
But this was a jinchūriki.
The insects dove toward the blazing Two-Tails chakra—
—and were incinerated instantly.
The insect cloud faltered. Aburame Shibi clenched his jaw.
"The enemy's chakra is too dense," he muttered. "Even our parasitic insects can't withstand it."
Still, he refused to retreat.
The swarm tightened, forming a spiraling vortex in the sky, compressing into a drill-like formation. With Shibi's command, the swarm plummeted downward like a spear.
Utakata glanced up and clicked his tongue. "I really hate insects."
He formed a hand sign.
POP!
Thousands of bubbles erupted from his mouth, colliding with the insect vortex.
KA-BOOM!
The bubbles detonated like landmines, scattering insect corpses across the ground.
A stalemate formed—neither side giving ground.
---
Meanwhile, a short distance away…
Mei Terumi watched Utakata struggle against the Aburame clan's onslaught. Her expression tightened.
She had arranged for Kirigakure's forces—and their Six-Tails jinchūriki—to break through first and claim the glory of entering Kikyō Castle.
But she didn't expect Konoha to field someone capable of restraining a jinchūriki.
As expected of the village once called the strongest.
"Lady Mei," a tall swordsman behind her asked in a low voice. A brutal aura radiated from his wrapped blade. "Should we assist Utakata?"
Mei glanced at the battlefield, then shook her head.
"No. Against the Aburame clan, our interference would hinder him more than help. We're only ten kilometers from Kikyō Castle. We move ahead."
"Ao, lead the way."
Ao nodded and moved swiftly.
Their group traveled a short distance before Ao suddenly halted.
"Lady Mei," he whispered. "Three Konoha squads ahead. I'm detecting twelve chakra signatures."
"Twelve?" Mei's voice lowered. "Are you certain?"
"Confirmed," Ao said. "And Lady Mei—one of them… has a Sharingan."
Mei's eyes widened.
Impossible.
The Uchiha clan had defected long ago. Their Sharingan should be in Kumogakure's hands now.
Unless…
A single name flashed in Mei's mind.
The Copy Ninja? The White Fang's son… Kakashi?
A slow smile spread across her lips. She licked her lower lip unconsciously.
"So that's who it is."
For a rising star wanting to build fame…
There was no better stepping stone.
The son of Konoha's legendary White Fang.
Prodigy student of the Fourth Hokage.
A shinobi wrapped in titles and talent.
Highly respected… yet not overwhelmingly strong.
Perfect.
"Let's go," Mei said, a dangerous glint in her eye. "This is the perfect opportunity."
As her group advanced—
A rustle came from behind the abandoned brush.
A masked man stepped into view, his single crimson Sharingan glowing ominously.
Uchiha Obito.
---
Inside the Hokage Building…
Within the stone walls, tension thickened in the air.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat with Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, three senior advisers gathered around a table littered with battlefield reports.
Each scroll screamed the same message:
Konoha was short on manpower.
Reinforcements were urgently needed.
Hiruzen exhaled deeply. "For Jiraiya to send three emergency reports in a row… the situation must be extremely grave."
Homura's expression hardened. "Should we allow early graduation for the sixth-year academy students?"
Hiruzen took a slow drag of his pipe, saying nothing.
Koharu spoke instead. "Sunagakure's forces advance steadily. In less than three days they'll enter the Land of Lightning. Once that happens, Jiraiya's burden will lessen—and perhaps even Kumogakure will be pressured on two fronts."
Homura nodded quickly. "Hiruzen, she's right."
But Hiruzen only let out a long sigh.
"If our teacher could see the village now… what would he say?"
Before either elder could respond—
BOOM!
A sharp explosion—far too close.
The three jolted to their feet and rushed to the window. A flare burned in the sky above Konoha.
A signal flare of emergency level.
One never used unless—
Something catastrophic had occurred.
An ANBU crashed into the office moments later.
"Hokage-sama! Intruder detected inside the village!"
Hiruzen's face darkened instantly.
A daytime infiltration of Konoha?
Such a thing had not happened in decades.
"How many?" Homura demanded.
The ANBU swallowed. "Only one."
"One?" The advisors looked at each other with alarm.
Hiruzen spoke sharply. "Inform Danzo immediately. Have Root eliminate the intruder."
The ANBU vanished.
Hiruzen strode to a cabinet and pulled out a black combat uniform.
"We cannot spare a single reinforcement for Jiraiya now. Whoever invaded Konoha chose this time because they know our forces are stretched thin."
Homura nodded grimly. "Then the village must take priority—"
SHING—!
A black shadow burst through the open window.
The intruder moved like a phantom.
Koharu's eyes widened.
"So fast—!"
Before anyone could react—
The attacker was already in front of her.
A kunai flashed downward.
ZZZZIP—!!!
Blood sprayed.
Koharu staggered back, pressing a hand to her neck as crimson seeped between her fingers.
The attacker didn't pause. He struck again—
CLANG!
Three kunai intercepted the blade mid-strike, deflecting it aside.
Hiruzen had acted in a single fluid motion.
Homura rushed to Koharu, who was trembling, pale.
"Who are you?" Hiruzen demanded, eyes narrowing.
ANBU forces stormed the building, surrounding the intruder.
But outside—
The sounds of kunai, explosion tags, and clashing ninjutsu echoed violently.
There were more enemies.
Hiruzen's heart tightened.
The intruder tilted his head slightly. Through the mask, his eyes gleamed—dark gold, cold, intelligent.
Before anyone expected it—
He sprinted straight toward Hiruzen.
Not fleeing.
Not killing the elders.
Attacking the Hokage.
The ANBU in front didn't even see him move.
Then—
SHUKK—!
The kunai plunged into Hiruzen Sarutobi's chest.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)