"We can't... we can't escape..."
"Damn it, we're going to die here!"
"I can't accept dying like this! Damn those Kumogakure bastards!"
"This direction… it shouldn't spill over toward the clan compound, right…?"
They had long known some intel about tailed beasts, but only when they truly faced a Tailed Beast Bomb did Fugaku Uchiha and the others grasp their own weakness.
Before that annihilating power, they couldn't even flee.
No matter how hard you tried, under such absolute force you'd be reduced to dust.
The Tailed Beast Bomb arrived in a blink. Just as Fugaku and the others shut their eyes to await death, a low voice rang out.
"Kamui!"
Fugaku and the rest snapped their eyes open, only to see space twisting like a vortex.
The Tailed Beast Bomb that seemed capable of erasing everything vanished in an instant, leaving not the slightest ripple.
It all happened in a heartbeat. Fugaku and the others panted heavily.
The joy of surviving stripped their strength; they collapsed to the ground one after another.
"Those two are really a handful..."
Yuzuru watched as A became a streak of lightning and shouldered Killer B away, yet there was no disappointment on his face.
Although he'd held an absolute advantage moments ago, actually killing A and Killer B wasn't so easy.
After all, he had no intention of ending up like Sasuke Uchiha in the original timeline—going blind a few days after awakening the Mangekyō.
Letting the enemy flee in panic was the best outcome for now.
"Yuzuru, that attack just now—how did you do it?"
Fugaku walked up to Yuzuru, incredulous.
"Transfer," Yuzuru said calmly. "I used the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan to transfer that Tailed Beast Bomb away, that's all."
Hisses of shock spread.
Fugaku and the others all gaped.
They knew Yuzuru's Mangekyō could transfer objects—otherwise they would never have escaped Konoha so smoothly.
But…
Even something like a Tailed Beast Bomb could be transferred? That was downright tyrannical.
Heat rose in their chests; the way they looked at Yuzuru brimmed with hope.
"Yuzuru, can you tell us how to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan?"
"If our Uchiha clan had a few more pairs of eyes like that, conquering the entire shinobi world might not be so far-fetched, right?"
At that, Yuzuru replied, "In most cases, awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan requires extraordinary talent and relentless training."
"On top of that, you need to endure mental shocks that normal people can't bear, just to have a chance at this power."
"Even then, most people who awaken the Mangekyō won't wield power like mine."
"Why?" Fugaku asked, puzzled.
"Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Power earned step by step through effort rarely ends up perfect."
Yuzuru explained.
His current might existed because, thanks to the system's rewards, he possessed Kage-class standards in at least every area.
With the Mangekyō awakening on top of that, his strength underwent a qualitative leap.
Your average Uchiha—even with Mangekyō—couldn't become as strong as he was.
Fugaku, a bit unconvinced, pressed, "Then what about you?"
"I'm different from you," Yuzuru smiled. "I'm the man destined to be crowned king; there's nothing strange about anything I accomplish."
"Alright, our clansmen are probably worried sick. You should head back."
"You're not coming?"
"Things aren't over," Yuzuru said coolly. "I'm going to pay Kumogakure a personal visit."
He had defeated A and Killer B this time, but given those muscleheads' temperament in Kumogakure, they might well send more people.
Rather than keep wasting eye power on this, better to end it once and for all—by meeting the Third Raikage himself.
—
"Lord Raikage, Lord A and Lord Killer B have returned!"
Hearing this, the Third Raikage laughed. "So it's done? Send them in."
Moments later, the office door opened—and the Third Raikage's smile froze.
His son was smeared with dust; even Killer B wore a rare look of defeat.
Seeing this, the Third Raikage asked in a deep voice, "A, what happened?"
A lowered his head, shame in his tone. "Father, our operation failed. The Yotsuki Guard are all dead. Only B and I made it back."
The Third Raikage's face changed. "An ambush?"
"No." A clenched his fists. "There's a man in the Uchiha clan called Uchiha Yuzuru. He defeated me and B."
"If the Eight-Tails hadn't released a Tailed Beast Bomb, we might not have returned at all."
At that thought, a chill ran through A.
His own death would have been one thing, but if the Eight-Tails had been taken by the Uchiha, he would have been a sinner to Kumogakure.
The Third Raikage was stunned into silence.
No one knew A and Killer B's strength better than he did.
Even he struggled to withstand their combined assault—that was why he'd felt secure letting them leave the village with only a few jōnin.
But now…
A was saying someone had defeated both him and Killer B!
How was that possible?!
"A, isn't the Uchiha's strongest shinobi supposed to be Fugaku?"
"Who is this Yuzuru?"
Shaking his head, A answered, "I don't know either. But according to the Eight-Tails, that Uchiha Yuzuru possesses the legendary Mangekyō Sharingan."
"In front of those eyes, even the Eight-Tails had no desire to fight."
"Mangekyō Sharingan?" The Third Raikage's gaze sharpened.
As Raikage, though he hadn't lived through Madara Uchiha's reign of terror, he'd read plenty about the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Back then, Madara used those eyes to unleash a reign of blood across the shinobi world.
Only Hashirama Senju's Wood Release could stand against him.
And now, those eyes had appeared again?
At the thought, the Third Raikage felt his blood stir.
"Father, I've let you down."
Seeing proud A so shaken, the Third Raikage suddenly drove a fist into his face, blasting him across the room.
"Father?"
"Hmph!" the Third Raikage snorted. "Does a little setback reduce you to this?"
"What do you think the Mangekyō Sharingan is? Even I can hardly resist the urge to fight such power!"
"Losing to a Mangekyō wielder isn't what's frightening. What's pathetic is losing the courage to fight again."
"A, take this failure as fuel to grow stronger. Don't make me look down on you."
A tightened his fists and stood up. "Father, I will. One day, I'll defeat Uchiha Yuzuru and become the strongest shinobi in the world!"
"Good. You and B go rest. Leave the rest to me."
After A and Killer B left, the Third Raikage stared out the window, eyes blazing.
The Uchiha truly were the mightiest clan. A bloodline like that—Kumogakure must obtain it.
At any cost.
T/n:
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