Seven days later — the Land of Hot Water.
Uchiha Sora summoned several three-tomoe clan members to assume responsibility for guarding the Land of Hot Water's daimyō.
Guarding—
And monitoring.
Under Shisui's control, the daimyō had signed a series of tribute agreements with the Land of Whirlpools. The first shipment of supplies was already en route.
With matters settled, their next destination was the Land of Iron.
—
Border of the Land of Hot Water.
Whistle—!
Two kunai shot forward, aimed directly at Sora and Shisui's faces.
They shifted aside in unison.
Ahead stood a squad of shinobi.
The man at the front wore a hood. His left eye was covered by a black eyepatch. His expression was stern and composed.
The forehead protector—
Kumogakure.
Shisui recognized him instantly and murmured,
"That's Dodai of the Hidden Cloud."
A close aide to two generations of Raikage.
A Lava Release user.
His standing roughly equivalent to a senior departmental commander in Konoha.
Why would someone of that rank be here?
…Ah.
The Land of Hot Water bordered the Land of Lightning.
Sora's actions had not exactly been subtle.
It would have been strange not to be noticed.
Step.
Dodai moved forward.
"Konoha shinobi. Aren't your hands reaching too far?"
There was unspoken understanding among the Five Great Nations.
Their territories did not directly touch.
Smaller nations were deliberately preserved as buffer zones.
The Land of Rain.
The Land of Grass.
The Land of Hot Water.
They were battlegrounds—neutral grounds for larger conflicts.
Sora tilted his head slightly.
"We're not wearing Konoha headbands, Dodai-san. That's a bold assumption."
Dodai snorted.
"If I said the Yotsuki clan isn't part of Kumogakure, would you believe me?"
The Yotsuki clan held status comparable to the Hyūga in Konoha—perhaps even higher.
"Enough."
"Withdraw from the Land of Hot Water. Otherwise, we'll treat this as a declaration of war from Konoha."
Sora's smile faded.
"Did you leave your brain at home?"
"Konoha and Kumogakure haven't even signed a ceasefire yet."
"And I already told you."
"We're not Konoha shinobi."
Flash—
Sora attacked first.
Dodai twisted aside as a blade slashed toward him.
Turning back—
A massive fireball filled his vision.
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!
"Lava Release: Rubber Wall!"
Dodai spat out molten rubber, forming a protective membrane.
Boom!!
The fireball detonated upon impact.
The membrane split open.
Sora flickered forward, drawing a kunai and thrusting toward Dodai's face.
The blade pierced—
And Dodai's body melted like liquid.
Lava Release: Clone Technique.
"Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu!"
A hand burst from the soil, seizing Sora's ankle and dragging him beneath the earth—leaving only his head exposed.
"Too reckless, brat."
Dodai stepped forward, dagger descending.
"Reckless?"
"Against an Uchiha… you dared to look into my eyes."
Scarlet flashed.
Three tomoe spun.
Dodai stiffened for a split second—instinctively circulating chakra to disrupt the illusion—
No.
My left eye holds a secret technique specifically to resist genjutsu.
That's why I wasn't afraid to meet his gaze.
I'm not under genjutsu.
That split-second hesitation—
Was enough.
Sora burst from the ground and lunged for Dodai's eyepatch.
!!!
Rip—
Dodai barely evaded, though Sora's fingertips tore flesh at the corner of his eye.
Dodai retreated several steps.
"Bastard! You tricked me!"
Sora calmly wiped blood from his fingers.
"Words are a form of genjutsu too."
"Mission accomplished."
He stepped forward.
"Enough greetings."
"Due to historical matters, our clan has separated from Konoha."
"The Land of Hot Water hiring us as guards is legal."
"You're the ones overstepping."
Dodai's pupils constricted sharply.
Compared to that statement—
The Land of Hot Water suddenly seemed trivial.
The Uchiha—
Had left Konoha?
The shinobi world held a fixed impression of the Uchiha.
Arrogant. Extreme.
But rarely liars—especially not in matters of clan honor.
Dodai didn't know Sora.
But he knew Shisui.
And Shisui did not refute the claim.
…
"You are currently inside the Land of Hot Water."
"By authority granted by the daimyō, I have the right to expel you."
Sora advanced.
Shisui followed.
The air tightened—
"Wait!"
Dodai raised a hand.
"Is what you said true?!"
His mind raced.
Kumogakure might be full of brutes.
Dodai was not.
"The Fourth Hokage would never allow the Uchiha to leave Konoha."
He had heard the Raikage praise Minato Namikaze more than once.
Strength. Character. Nearly flawless.
Had Minato fallen?
Or was this some elaborate Konoha strategy?
Feign defection—
Absorb smaller nations—
Prepare for expansion?
…
"No comment."
"Find out yourself."
Sora drew Shisui's short blade and advanced slowly.
Dodai stepped back.
"We will withdraw from the Land of Hot Water."
"My apologies."
He needed to report this to the Raikage immediately.
Investigate the truth.
He raised a hand to signal retreat—
"Hey."
"If an apology was enough to let you leave…"
"That would be disrespectful to the generous salary our daimyō pays us."
Dodai's instincts screamed.
Too late.
Sora's fingers ignited with flame as he slammed his palm into the ground.
Chakra erupted.
Infernal fire surged from the earth itself.
Boom!!!
Four blazing walls rose around the Kumogakure squad.
Uchiha Flame Formation!
"Move!"
Shisui's kunai streaked forward.
Thirteen blades.
Thirteen vital points.
The Cloud shinobi screamed once—
Then fell.
Phantom Shisui images multiplied, sweeping through them like a reaper through wheat.
Simultaneously—
Sora slashed toward Dodai.
Dodai raised his arm to block, roaring,
"Bastard! We were retreating and you still attack?!"
"Are you insane?!"
"You slaughter my men—unforgivable!"
From the corner of his eye—
Shisui carved through the battlefield like a predator among sheep.
Dodai's vision reddened.
"Don't joke around, old man."
Sora's eyes gleamed crimson.
"If we were ordinary shinobi, those kunai would've killed us."
"I'm merely returning your killing intent."
"Is that so hard to accept?"
Dodai froze—
Then glared into Sora's eyes.
"You've truly angered me."
Sora smiled faintly.
"You looked at me again."
"Same trick twice?!"
I will not fall for genjutsu.
The power sealed in my left eye can counter the Sharingan!
Dodai roared and tried to force Sora back—
His arm did not respond.
Flash—
The blade burned with scarlet flame.
It severed Dodai's arm—
Cauterizing the wound black.
Dodai's eyes widened.
"When did you—"
Sora's voice was calm.
"When did you start believing…"
"…that you were never under genjutsu?"