"I want to sleep…"
A Hyuga ninja patrolling the jungle muttered, eyes scanning for any sign of intrusion. Then a flash of red caught his gaze. Startled, he moved closer—but the world shifted before him. The sky seemed to burn scarlet, and the three black tomoe of a Sharingan swirled violently in front of him.
His vision blurred, thoughts scrambled, and before he could even react, his body softened, muscles locked in sudden slumber. Yet death was already waiting. A shadow darted from the darkness, seizing his collar, and a sharp kunai sliced his throat. Even in his forced sleep, the ninja couldn't escape the illusion that killed him.
"Move!"
Uchiha Tajima's voice was a whisper against the chaos. The three of them had struck fast and unseen. Less than a hundred Hyuga defenders remained in the camp. Hyuga Tennin, commander of the garrison, charged forward, determined to crush the Uchiha coalition in one decisive blow.
What Tennin didn't realize was that Tajima had already bypassed the defensive lines, infiltrating the camp with surgical precision. His trio moved like shadows, unseen even by seasoned Jōnin.
"Sharingan!"
The eyes of the captured Hyuga ninja reflected the spinning scarlet tomoe. Tajima's illusions pinned the man's mind like iron, bending him to answer. "Where… where is the Hyuga supply cache?" Tajima demanded.
Trembling, the ninja spilled the information. No hesitation. No lies. Only the truth under the force of the Sharingan.
"Good. You two head there and burn it to ashes. I'll draw the attention of the rest." Tajima's words were cold, efficient. With a single motion, Kumo ended the captured ninja's life, then melted into the shadows beside Tajima.
The supply area was heavily guarded, a stronghold for Hyuga Jōnin and elite troops. A direct approach would be suicide. One must create a distraction while the others slip through unnoticed. That was the plan.
"Patriarch, be careful!" the two Uchiha whispered before vanishing like smoke.
Tajima no longer lingered. He leapt into the open, chakra flaring.
"Fire Style·Meteor Blaze!"
Three massive fireballs erupted from Tajima's mouth, crashing into the center of the Hyuga camp. Tents ignited instantly, flames licking the sky like molten comets.
"Enemy attack!"
The alarm rang out. Over seventy Hyuga ninjas scrambled from their tents, charging toward the source of the flames.
"Haha… pathetic Hyuga clan!" Tajima bellowed, leaping higher, chakra radiating in a violent, shadow-level aura. "Uchiha Tajima will burn you all today!"
The Hyuga defenders faltered. Some slowed instinctively, panic flickering in their eyes at the sheer power radiating from Tajima.
"Old Uchiha! You dare wreak havoc in our camp? Today, you die!"
Before they could react further, a roar split the air. A silver-haired figure, eyes clouded yet sharp with deadly experience, charged into view. Age hadn't dulled him; if anything, it sharpened every move.
"Master Okamoto!"
At the sight of their veteran leader, the Hyuga coalition forces rallied instantly. Cheers and war cries filled the camp, hesitation vanished, and the defenders surged toward Tajima with renewed fury.