Yugito's body stiffened, and she froze where she stood.
What kind of joke is this?!
Yet the icy blade pressed against her throat forced her to accept the cruel reality.
In this battle against the "Blazing Demon" Yusuke… she had truly lost.
After consecutively countering multiple miniature Tailed Beast Bombs, Uchiha Yusuke was breathing slightly heavier as well. Although he had defeated the Two-Tails' jinchūriki, the fight had been anything but easy for him.
Yugito's expression turned vacant, her mind in disarray. She even forgot the blade hovering inches from her throat.
The Cloud allied forces were trapped in a tight encirclement, and she herself had been defeated by the enemy commander.
The Fourth Raikage had entrusted the front lines to her—yet she had suffered a crushing defeat, completely betraying Lord Raikage's trust!
At that thought, a flash of madness surged into Yugito's eyes.
Even if I die, I'll die in a blaze of glory. I am Yugito—the renowned Two-Tails' jinchūriki of Kumogakure!
Suddenly—
Blue-black chakra patterns erupted across her body once more, a clear sign that she was about to enter Tailed Beast Transformation.
Uchiha Yusuke did not hesitate.
He swept the blade in his hand straight across Yugito's throat.
He had intended to capture the Two-Tails alive, but since she chose to resist to the bitter end, he could only strike to kill.
War was this cruel. If Kumogakure had the chance to kill Uchiha Yusuke, they would show no mercy either.
"Slash—"
His sword tore across her neck, leaving a streak of blood in its wake.
But under the influence of the Two-Tails' chakra, his strike was thrown slightly off. It was not a fatal blow.
"Hah… hah…"
Clutching her wounded throat, Yugito gasped violently, feeling as though she had just escaped death.
If Uchiha Yusuke had been just a fraction faster, she would likely already be separated from her head.
Rage surged within her.
"Damn you, 'Blazing Demon' Yusuke!"
"I'll personally wash away today's humiliation sooner or later!"
Yusuke flicked the blood from his blade, inwardly lamenting the missed opportunity.
He had come close to eliminating Kumogakure's Two-Tails' jinchūriki, yet in the end, he had fallen just short.
Failing to finish her today meant that the next time they met on the battlefield, Yugito would likely be even more troublesome.
Yusuke raised his sword again.
"One-Sword Style: Cross Slash."
Faced with his pursuit, Yugito did not attempt to block. She chose to flee.
Boom!
Yusuke's attack slammed heavily into the Two-Tails' shroud. Yugito cried out in pain—
—but she did not look back, sprinting away at full speed.
Yusuke clicked his tongue.
"Tailed Beasts really are thick-skinned."
Staring at the Tailed Beast cloak covering Yugito's body, he felt a faint headache.
He could injure the Two-Tails, but its chakra would rapidly mend the damage.
With Yugito determined to escape, he had no particularly good way to stop her.
The war with Kumogakure had only just begun. He had no intention of exposing the power of his Mangekyō Sharingan so early.
The objective of securing victory in the first battle had already been achieved. If Yugito wished to flee, then so be it.
As Yugito retreated, the Cloud allied forces collapsed like a crumbling mountain.
Konoha seized the momentum and pressed the attack, mercilessly striking down the fleeing enemy, eliminating over two thousand Kumogakure shinobi.
With their commander defeated and two-thirds of their elite forces lost, the remaining thousand battered survivors retreated into their camp and refused to emerge.
After this battle, the morale of the Cloud allied forces plummeted. They had lost the courage to confront Konoha head-on.
All they could do was fortify their position and wait for reinforcements from the Raikage.
Konoha Camp
Smiles were everywhere among the shinobi.
Winning the opening battle allowed them to glimpse hope for ultimate victory.
When the day came to return in triumph, perhaps they too would earn the title of heroes who defended the village.
What greater glory could there be?
Central Command Tent
Uchiha Yusuke and the core Konoha shinobi gathered once more.
"To defeat the Two-Tails' jinchūriki head-on—Lord Yusuke's swordsmanship is truly breathtaking!"
"Not only is Lord Yusuke powerful, but he is also strategic and far-sighted. In this victory over Kumogakure, Lord Yusuke deserves the greatest credit!"
"Indeed! In my view, the position of the next Hokage should also belong to Lord Yusuke!"
Praise and flattery poured in without end.
Yusuke maintained a calm, indifferent expression, showing no trace of pride at their words.
Kumogakure may have lost a battle, but the war itself was far from decided.
To celebrate now would be premature.
He spoke in a steady voice.
"Although we have repelled the Two-Tails' jinchūriki, Kumogakure will not let this matter rest."
"Do not lower your guard. The enemy may launch a counterattack at any time."
Hyūga Hiashi nodded in firm agreement.
Even in such circumstances, Yusuke remained vigilant.
It was clear that despite his youth, he already possessed the qualities of a true commander.
Nara Shikaku stepped forward with a faint smile.
"Since we've won a battle, shall we send word back to the village and report the good news?"
Yusuke nodded.
"I'll leave the transmission to you."
Even if he did not send a report, Konoha's higher-ups had their own methods of receiving information.
But failing to do so might arouse suspicion among them.
Yusuke was operating away from the village. It was best not to provoke unnecessary distrust from Konoha's upper echelons.
Otherwise, if something troublesome arose, the losses might outweigh the gains.
For now, the shinobi planted within the allied forces by Konoha's higher-ups had remained quiet.
But knowing those old men, Yusuke could not guarantee they would stay silent forever.
Playing petty tricks was practically a shared habit among the higher-ups.
Expecting them not to interfere would be like expecting the sun to rise in the west.
Of course… Yusuke was not afraid of their schemes.
He was a man who held grudges.
If those higher-ups dared to move against him, then one day, he would bring everything into the open and settle the score with them—clearly and completely.
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