When Uchiha Su set out for the journey to Uzushio Village, he naturally could not act as recklessly or independently as Uchiha Madara often did.
Madara possessed overwhelming strength that allowed him to move alone without fear. But Uchiha Su was still young, and although his abilities were extraordinary, he had to maintain the proper image of a clan leader.
Because of that, he carefully selected three elite members of the Uchiha clan to accompany him. All three were powerful Jonin who had proven themselves in countless battles.
Interestingly, Uchiha Su did not choose Uchiha Setsuna or Uchiha Nami for this mission.
Instead, he had a private discussion with the Second Mizukage, Hōzuki Gengetsu, and arranged for the two of them to remain in the Hidden Mist Village.
Their role was far more important than simple escort duty.
With the delicate balance of power within the Hidden Mist Village, leaving capable and trustworthy figures behind ensured that no unexpected disturbances would occur during his absence.
After confirming the arrangement, Uchiha Su left the central area of the village together with the three Uchiha Jonin.
Their destination was located on the outskirts of the Hidden Mist Village—the territory of the Kaguya Clan.
The Kaguya Clan compound was enormous.
Although it did not possess the same political influence as the Hōzuki Clan, its military strength was unquestionable.
The clan had roughly one to two hundred members, and nearly all of them were skilled combatants. Their terrifying kekkei genkai—the Shikotsumyaku, or Dead Bone Pulse—allowed them to manipulate their own bones as weapons.
In terms of raw combat ability, the Kaguya Clan was undoubtedly one of the strongest clans in the Hidden Mist Village.
Yet despite this strength, they were heavily ostracized.
The reason was simple.
They were dangerous.
The members of the Kaguya Clan were widely known for their violent nature and love for battle. Many of them possessed unstable personalities, and they often treated combat as entertainment rather than duty.
Because of this, the leadership of the Hidden Mist Village rarely allowed them to hold positions of authority.
Not a single member of the Kaguya Clan served among the village's high-ranking officials.
Even among ordinary ninja, many avoided contact with them whenever possible.
To most people in the village, the Kaguya Clan was little more than a group of uncontrollable madmen.
As Uchiha Su approached the clan compound, his eyes narrowed slightly.
The three Uchiha Jonin standing behind him immediately became alert.
Their instincts as seasoned warriors reacted instantly.
Without needing to speak, they simultaneously activated their Sharingan.
Scarlet pupils spun slowly as they carefully observed the figures surrounding their young master.
A group of Kaguya clansmen had gathered around them.
Every single one of them wore a strange, unsettling smile.
Their pale faces and thin lips gave them a slightly eerie appearance.
Two small red markings were visible on their foreheads, a characteristic feature of their clan.
At the center of the group stood a tall, broad-shouldered man.
His posture was arrogant, and his gaze was filled with undisguised contempt.
The atmosphere quickly grew tense.
Then someone spoke.
"So you're the one we're supposed to follow from now on?"
The voice carried a mocking tone.
Another Kaguya member laughed loudly.
"The Uchiha Clan really must be declining. They've actually let a little brat take command!"
A third person snorted.
"If this were the Kaguya Clan, a child like this would have had his head twisted off long ago."
The insulting remarks continued to spread through the crowd.
None of them attempted to hide their disdain.
However, Uchiha Su remained completely calm.
He had already expected this reaction.
When these people faced Uchiha Madara, they behaved like obedient servants.
In Madara's presence, they were as docile as sheep.
But toward him?
The situation was obviously different.
After all, Uchiha Su was still just a child in their eyes.
Even though Madara had issued an order that the Kaguya Clan must serve the Uchiha for one hundred years, that did not mean they would respect Uchiha Su personally.
Still, understanding their behavior did not mean he appreciated it.
"So..."
Uchiha Su tilted his head slightly.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Am I being underestimated?"
His voice was calm.
Ignoring the surrounding Kaguya members entirely, he focused his gaze directly on the tall man leading them.
Before coming here, he had already gathered detailed information.
The man standing before him was the current patriarch of the Kaguya Clan.
Kaguya Yūsuke.
He was only twenty-five years old, but he had already become the leader of the clan.
His tall frame and pale complexion made him look even more intimidating.
Yūsuke slowly stepped forward.
"If it were Lord Madara standing here," he said with a grin, "we would obey without hesitation."
"But you?"
He leaned slightly closer.
"You're just a little brat."
His voice grew colder.
"If we're going to risk our lives for you in the future, shouldn't we at least confirm whether you have the strength to deserve it?"
One of the Uchiha Jonin immediately stepped forward.
His name was Uchiha En.
His age was roughly the same as Kaguya Yūsuke.
"What nonsense are you spouting?" En said angrily.
"You already swore that the Kaguya Clan would serve the Uchiha for a hundred years!"
"Are you trying to break your promise?"
His hand rested on the hilt of his sword.
"If so, perhaps you want to test the sharpness of the Uchiha blade!"
Kaguya Yūsuke chuckled.
"No, no."
"We will absolutely honor our promise."
His eyes shifted toward Uchiha Su again.
"But that doesn't stop us from evaluating the strength of the person we will serve."
He took another step forward and looked down at Uchiha Su from above.
"You should have the ability to prove yourself, right?"
Uchiha Su suddenly laughed.
"Interesting."
"You also want to test my strength?"
Uchiha En immediately grew anxious.
"Young Master, he's clearly provoking you. Please don't—"
But before he could finish speaking, Uchiha Su raised his hand.
"It's fine."
His voice was calm.
"If he wants to try..."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Then let him try."
Kaguya Yūsuke burst into laughter.
"Good! Good! Good!"
"For a little brat, you've got some guts."
"I like that."
Then he shrugged casually.
"How about this?"
"Even if you lose today, I'll still follow Lord Madara's order and assist you."
At first glance, his words sounded reasonable.
But there was a subtle difference.
Madara had ordered the Kaguya Clan to pledge allegiance to the Uchiha Clan.
But Yūsuke only said he would "assist" them.
The meaning between the two was completely different.
It was clear that he intended to leave himself room to maneuver depending on the outcome of the battle.
After he finished speaking, the surrounding Kaguya clansmen quickly stepped back.
A wide space opened in the center of the compound.
Uchiha En clenched his teeth but ultimately stepped aside.
The other two Uchiha Jonin followed reluctantly.
However, En had already made a decision in his heart.
If Kaguya Yūsuke dared to seriously harm the young master—
Even at the cost of his own life...
He would kill him.
The two fighters faced each other.
Kaguya Yūsuke slowly raised his hand toward his chest.
Then, in a horrifying display, he grabbed his own spine and pulled it out.
With a sickening sound, a long bone blade emerged from his back.
Blood splattered lightly across the ground.
Yet Yūsuke's expression remained completely calm.
Holding the bone sword in his hand, he swung it lightly through the air.
"I thought you'd be scared by that."
He sneered.
The blade whistled as it cut through the wind.
"That's pretty terrifying," Uchiha Su replied sincerely.
"I really was scared."
However—
His face showed almost no emotion.
The words sounded convincing.
But his expression completely ruined the effect.
Yūsuke's smile faded slightly.
"Disobedient children..."
He bent his knees slightly.
"Need proper discipline."
The moment his voice fell—
His figure blurred.
Afterimages appeared as he dashed forward at astonishing speed.
"Dance of the Willow!"
This was one of the Kaguya Clan's secret taijutsu techniques.
The Dance of the Willow emphasized fluid and unpredictable movements.
Yūsuke's body swayed like a willow branch in the wind, making it almost impossible to predict his next strike.
In the blink of an eye, he appeared directly in front of Uchiha Su.
The bone blade sliced downward toward Su's chest.
Yet—
Uchiha Su did not move.
He remained standing calmly in place.
Seeing this, Yūsuke frowned slightly.
"Are you already scared stiff?"
"But don't worry."
He smirked.
"For a child, standing in front of me is already pretty brave—"
"You talk too much."
The words interrupted him.
Uchiha Su's eyes suddenly changed.
Within his pupils—
The Mangekyō Sharingan began spinning rapidly.
A massive skeletal arm suddenly materialized beside him.
Susanoo.
The gigantic chakra arm appeared instantly.
CLANG!
The bone sword struck the arm and was completely blocked.
Before Yūsuke could react—
The Susanoo arm rose high into the air.
Then it slammed downward.
BOOM!
The terrifying force smashed into the ground.
Kaguya Yūsuke's pupils shrank violently.
This scene—
It was identical to the nightmare he had experienced before.
That day...
A massive Susanoo had suddenly appeared in the Kaguya compound.
With just a single strike—
It had completely crushed their resistance.
Even someone like Yūsuke, who feared nothing in battle, had felt true terror for the first time.
In front of that Susanoo warrior that resembled a divine god of war—
He had finally understood what fear meant.
Under that overwhelming pressure, he had agreed to Madara's demand.
From that day forward—
The Kaguya Clan would serve the Uchiha Clan for one hundred years.
Now...
That same terrifying power appeared again.
Countless thoughts flashed through Yūsuke's mind in a single moment.
But his combat instincts reacted faster.
His body twisted sharply.
He narrowly dodged the descending Susanoo arm.
"Dance of the Larch!"
His body began spinning rapidly.
Sharp bone spikes erupted from every part of his skin.
His entire body transformed into a rotating weapon.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The bone spikes struck the ribs of the Susanoo again and again.
Each collision produced a heavy, dull sound.
Under the continuous high-speed attacks—
Small cracks began to appear across the surface of the Susanoo.
Seeing this, Kaguya Yūsuke's eyes lit up.
"This might actually work!"
Excitement appeared on his face.
In that instant, he realized something important.
Although Uchiha Su possessed the same terrifying technique as Madara—
The power was clearly far weaker.
Compared to Madara's nearly invincible Susanoo—
This one was much less stable.
Which meant—
For the first time...
Kaguya Yūsuke felt a glimmer of hope.
Could it be...
Victory was finally within reach?
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)