At this moment, Ōnoki flew up while roaring, "Lightning Release!"
Immediately, C, who led thousands of Lightning Release users, took the lead in forming hand seals and released the Ninjutsu.
Lightning Release: Ten Thousand Lightning Illusion Flash of Lightning Pillar!
A massive white light appeared, accompanied by the crackling sound of lightning, illuminating the brightly lit Imperial City in the night as if it were day, like a sun rising to challenge the darkness.
"Attack!" Kitsuchi, the commander of the Allied Shinobi Forces, saw Ōnoki charging up and immediately roared amidst the white light.
C, Baki, and the others saw that the sneak attack had completely failed, but seeing Ōnoki's determined posture of advancing rather than retreating, they suddenly realized— Could it be that Hiromi is not in the Imperial City?
They were overjoyed.
What a great opportunity this was!
The Allied Shinobi Forces had tens of thousands of people, while the Uchiha Imperial City only had a few thousand ninjas, along with tens of thousands of civilians that needed protection. Even if they just overwhelmed them with numbers, they could win.
They had just miscalculated one point. With Orochimaru's help, Shisui, Fugaku, and Itachi had already transplanted Hashirama cells. Regarding the use of the Mangekyo, to say nothing of anything else, just for today, they could maintain their Susanoo for an entire day.
Besides that, three clan members possessed Fire Release Chakra Mode, and two others could activate Lightning Release Chakra Mode. Although not comparable to Hiromi and A, their strength was comparable to Kage level.
A few thousand against tens of thousands?
No! It was hundreds against tens of thousands!
"Kill!" Fugaku roared.
"Kill!!!"
Red light of excitement appeared in the eyes of the Uchiha Clan Members as they charged forward.
The Fifth Great Ninja War had begun!
—
Land of Lightning, atop a rocky mountain.
"It's finally started!"
Hidan looked impatient, stretched, twisted his stiff neck, and walked towards Kumogakure, preparing to vent properly.
Tobi, who was beside him, also walked up, full of anticipation. "What does it feel like to take a big dump?"
Hidan: "..."
In Kumogakure, Karui felt a huge sense of unease rise in her heart.
—
Land of Water.
In the forest, it was damp and dark.
Kisame and Jūzō, two fierce-looking men, stood up and walked towards Kirigakure. Although the Three-Tails Jinchuriki this time was the Fifth Mizukage, she needed to protect the village. With so many burdens around, Kisame and Jūzō were not afraid at all.
If the Fifth Mizukage, Mei, was sensible, it would be best for her to come out on her own. Otherwise, they wouldn't mind using the villagers to threaten her into surrendering.
—
Land of Fire, Uchiha Empire border.
In the forest, the experimental subjects had their hands and feet shackled, connected to the subjects in front and behind them, being led along like pigs and sheep awaiting slaughter. This was the case for hundreds of people.
Kazuto looked pained and wanted to set them free, but he knew he couldn't.
Just as he wanted to go and question Hiromi on why he led the Uchiha to withdraw from Konoha, why he had to destroy Konoha, and if this Uchiha Empire really had to be established.
But he couldn't.
Things had already reached this point, there was no turning back.
No matter what, the world would fear the power of the Uchiha. Even if the Uchiha didn't establish a country, didn't act as Daimyo, and even went back to rebuild Konoha, the world would still want to exterminate the Uchiha clan.
This made Kazuto's head ache until he was almost going crazy.
Twelve years ago, he was the bridge between the Uchiha clan and the village, and his dream was for the Uchiha clan and the village to coexist peacefully.
The village was very important to him but the Uchiha clan was even more important to him.
To others, twelve whole years had passed but to him, it was just an instant.
Danzo died, and his clan was also exterminated. He didn't care about this, and even felt some gratification, because it was Danzo who had caused him and his wife to die miserably.
Immediately after, Hiruzen died, and his clan was exterminated as well. He couldn't quite accept this. Even though the things Hiruzen did were exposed, and he had wanted to exterminate the Uchiha clan, in his memory, it was still filled with contradiction. Everything Hiruzen did was for the sake of Konoha.
Then, the Hokage Advisors Koharu and Homura were beheaded in public, and their clans were completely wiped out. Regarding this, he only had a complex expression.
But referring to the past, it was easy to perceive how cowardly these two Hokage Advisors were.
So, even though babies were killed, Kazuto accepted it. Because if it were him, although it would be painful to bear, under rational circumstances, he would probably make the same choice, because this was the best choice for the Uchiha and for the village.
Following that, Konoha was destroyed, but because most of the villagers had followed over, only a small portion was destroyed, so Kazuto could still accept it.
It was just... the current Fifth Great Ninja War, he could not accept it no matter what.
If the Uchiha hadn't withdrawn from Konoha, none of this would have happened. And the reason the Uchiha withdrew from Konoha was because his son Hiromi led them.
Hiromi... had destroyed everything beautiful. If he had done it so that there would be no more war in the future, he could accept it, and could even accept Hiruzen's death.
But that wasn't the case. It was just because Hiromi was unhappy...
It was just because of his unhappiness!
Just because of this, how many people had their families broken and lost their lives?
Since his resurrection, he hadn't met Hiromi even once.
He was afraid of the terrifying power in his own eyes.
Afraid that when he saw Hiromi, he wouldn't be able to control himself, causing chaos for the Uchiha.
Afraid that the Uchiha would be exterminated in this Fifth Great Ninja War.
Shizuka, who had experienced all of this just the same, did not have so much in her eyes. She only sought a happy family and a contented life.
The village? The clan?
She didn't have the mental capacity to think about these things. As long as her husband and son could sit together happily and have a meal, that would be enough.
"Things have already happened, and both you and I were only able to return thanks to our son's hard work." Shizuka persuaded Kazuto in this way.
Kazuto shook his head, saying nothing. Evidently, he could not take it in.
Gaara watched coldly.
To him, Hiromi was another version of himself. Thus, he could understand Hiromi's cold-blooded way of thinking—letting them find the answer themselves, even if it meant becoming enemies.
He understood everything, but did not say a word.
However, Temari, who also understood all of this, could no longer hold back.
She stepped forward and asked Kazuto, "Have you ever had contact with Naruto?"
"The Fourth Hokage's son?" Kazuto wondered why Temari would ask that, but he answered calmly, "I've only met him a few times."
"He was raised by the Third Hokage, but while the Third Hokage was raising him, the villagers called him a demon fox, threw rotten eggs and stones at him, and refused to sell him food. His only ray of sunshine every day was the Third Hokage. But in the Uchiha clan, he had the rights a normal person should have. No one called him a demon fox, and some even gave him things, grateful for everything his father, the Fourth Hokage, had done. Do you know all of this?"
Temari looked at Kazuto expectantly.
Kazuto nodded, he knew all of this.
"Naruto is indeed the Fourth Hokage's son, but he is also the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. As an important weapon for the village, the Third Hokage's actions were indeed unfair to Naruto, but it was for the sake of the village."
In this matter, he understood Hiruzen.
Temari's eyes widened, her face flushed red, and she was somewhat angered. "So, for the sake of the village, it's acceptable to exterminate the Uchiha clan?"
Just from this sentence, Kazuto's calm expression instantly crumbled.
"No... that's not it..."
"Even for the sake of the village, it can't..."
"The Uchiha clan cannot be exterminated..."
"I..."
***
40 Advanced Chapters on
patreon.com/alex_1000