Deep within the forests of the Land of Fire, a formation of red-armored figures stood in absolute silence.
At the front—
Uchiha Fugaku.
His Sharingan rotated slowly, glowing faintly in the dim light.
Beside him, a Hyūga ninja relayed real-time intelligence through precise lip movements.
"Commander Fugaku—Fuguki's forces are approaching Koharu Utatane's unit."
"The Red Armor Army is in position."
Fugaku raised his hand.
The entire formation stilled.
Armor stopped shifting.
Breaths were suppressed.
Even the wind seemed to hesitate among the leaves.
Moments later—
"Commander Fugaku—contact has been made."
"Koharu Utatane's unit has engaged."
Fugaku's fingers tightened.
Behind him, the Red Armor Army became completely motionless.
Like predators waiting for the exact moment to strike.
In the distance—
Explosions.
Battle cries.
The faint roar of ninjutsu.
Time stretched.
Every second felt endless.
Then—
The Hyūga ninja made the agreed signal.
"Koharu Utatane… has been executed."
Fugaku read it instantly.
A sharp light flashed in his eyes.
No more restraint.
His chakra surged.
"Red Armor Army—!"
"Yes!"
The suppressed response rolled like thunder.
"Kirigakure forces ahead."
Fugaku's voice cut through the forest like steel.
Then—
He moved.
Like an arrow released from a bow.
"Charge!!!"
"Avenge Lady Koharu Utatane!"
"Revenge—!!"
Fugaku drew his blade mid-sprint.
Behind him, the Red Armor Army surged forward in a perfect wedge formation.
Their speed was terrifying.
Their coordination flawless.
Sharingan eyes locked onto every target.
Killing intent flooded the forest—
A crimson wave crashing forward.
"What—what's that sound?!"
"That chakra…!"
"Behind us—!"
Panic erupted among the Kirigakure ranks.
The forest behind them shook violently.
Then—
They saw it.
A tide of red armor.
Hundreds of crimson eyes glowing in the dusk.
Cold.
Merciless.
"Uchiha—!"
"The Red Armor Army!"
"How are they here?!"
"Run—!!"
The ones who had never faced them—
Hesitated.
But those who had once been prisoners—
Broke instantly.
Fear spread like wildfire.
They abandoned allies.
Wounded.
Comrades.
Everything.
All they wanted—
Was to escape.
At the center of the battlefield—
Fuguki Suikazan stepped forward.
Before him—
Obito.
Protecting Rin.
Three-tomoe Sharingan spinning wildly.
Fuguki grinned.
"Three tomoe?"
"At a moment like this… what a waste."
He stepped closer.
Pressure suffocating.
"Kid."
"Come back to Kirigakure."
"You might live a little longer."
Bound by orders not to kill Uchiha—
He chose something worse.
Humiliation.
Control.
"Boom!"
His fist slammed into Obito's ribs.
"Crack!"
Bones broke.
Obito coughed.
Pain twisted his body.
A kick followed.
Then—
Joint locks.
Precise.
Cruel.
Fuguki played with him like prey.
Within moments—
Obito was crushed to the ground.
His face forced into blood-soaked mud.
"Cough… bastard…"
His Sharingan trembled.
Searching—
For Rin.
She lay nearby.
Pale.
Still.
Breathing faint.
"Pathetic."
"Emotions are weakness."
"If not for her…"
"You might've lasted longer."
Fuguki sneered.
"Now you're nothing but a stray dog."
"You… killed Kakashi…"
"Hurt Rin…"
Obito's voice trembled.
"I'll kill you…"
"I swear—!!"
His Sharingan spun violently.
The tomoe stretched—
Distorting.
Something deeper—
Trying to awaken.
Fuguki's expression changed slightly.
A chill.
He didn't hesitate.
"Enough."
A kick.
Obito went limp.
Unconscious.
"Annoying brat."
Then—
Something impossible happened.
From Obito's shadow—
From the blood beneath him—
Black sludge rose.
Thick.
Alive.
It wrapped around him instantly.
A cocoon.
Then—
It sank.
Vanished.
Gone.
Fuguki grabbed—
Nothing.
"…What?!"
The battlefield shifted.
Screams rose.
The Red Armor Army had arrived.
Killing intent swept over everything—
Like a frozen storm.
Fuguki turned.
And for the first time—
He felt true fear.
His heart froze.
Then pounded violently.
All thoughts vanished.
Revenge.
Glory.
Plans.
All gone.
Only survival remained.
"Retreat—!!"
He turned—
And ran.
"BOOM!"
The ground shattered under his step.
He sprinted like a beast.
"Fall back into Konoha's interior!"
Infinite City—
Was death.
Only deeper into Konoha—
Into chaos—
Was there a chance.
Something in his instincts screamed—
Run this way.
Behind him—
The army collapsed.
"Run—!"
"Follow Lord Fuguki!"
"Wait—!"
They scattered.
Formation shattered.
Like sheep fleeing slaughter.
Fugaku cut down an enemy in one strike.
His voice was calm.
Controlled.
"First and Second Battalions—flank left and right."
"Eliminate resistance."
"Surrendering enemies may live."
"Yes!"
The units split instantly.
Like blades carving through flesh.
Fire Release.
Sword light.
Blood.
Bodies fell like grass.
"Third Battalion—maintain pressure."
"Drive them forward."
The third unit advanced.
Relentless.
Controlled.
They didn't chase wildly.
They guided.
Herded.
Like hunters.
Driving prey exactly where they wanted.
Toward—
Konoha's interior.
Toward—
The noble territories.
Toward—
Anlan's plan.
This was no pursuit.
It was strategy.
A moving blade.
A coming purge.
"Guard unit—secure the battlefield."
"Search for survivors."
"We leave no one behind."
The battlefield fell under control.
Bodies were turned.
Wounded treated.
Dead separated.
Near broken debris—
Rin Nohara clung to consciousness.
Pain dragged her down.
Footsteps approached.
Warm chakra entered her body.
Voices—
"…Konoha…"
"…alive…"
"…advisor dead…"
"…revenge…"
Her eyes trembled open.
A blurred red figure—
Uchiha crest.
Then—
Darkness.
She collapsed completely.
A medic lifted her carefully.
The sole survivor.
She was taken toward Infinite City.
Fugaku watched silently.
Then turned.
Toward Konoha.
Expression calm.
Behind him—
The hunt continued.
Under a blood-red sky.
Far away—
Eastern coast.
Dark clouds pressed low over the sea.
Wind howled.
Broken ships drifted.
At the bow of a surviving vessel—
Jūzō Biwa stood.
Silent.
Pale.
Alive.
Behind him—
The Uchiha armies.
Volcano Army.
Wind Forest Army.
Nearly a thousand strong.
They had almost caught him.
If he had hesitated—
He would be dead.
"Withdraw."
"Join the reinforcement fleet."
He chose survival.
Not orders.
Not glory.
Survival.
Because fighting the Uchiha—
Meant death.