Chapter 70: Taking Over Konoha
Chapter 70: Taking Over Konoha
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Daybreak to nightfall.
The chaos of the battlefield finally subsided after an entire day.
Amid the jagged rocks kilometers away from the carnage, a small, pure-white snake slithered out, leaving the scene behind.
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Inside a mountain cave.
The flickering glow of a campfire illuminated a few weary figures.
Jiraiya was carefully dispelling the genjutsu cast on Minato Namikaze. However, Minato remained unconscious, drained from excessive chakra depletion and the mental toll of the genjutsu.
A small snake slithered through the cave entrance and coiled itself into Orochimaru's sleeve.
"What's the situation?" Jiraiya's voice carried a note of dread.
His exhaustion was written all over his face. He had repeatedly tried to join the battlefield and aid Uchiha Kagami, but an annoyed Orochimaru had silenced him with a chilling threat—Minato's life.
Though they weren't too far from the epicenter of the clash, Jiraiya knew it was over. What terrified him now was learning the outcome.
Orochimaru's slitted eyes narrowed sharply, his expression darkening.
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"It was Uchiha Kagami… who won," he said gravely.
Orochimaru had absorbed the memories delivered by the white snake. The images were surreal.
Terrors of legend—the Tailed Beasts—stood powerless against those eyes. Even Kumo's elite forces had been no different than genin on that battlefield.
And in the end:
The Third Raikage, with an arm severed, gave his life to cover his troops' retreat.
Ōnoki had his legs cut off.
Han, the Five-Tails' jinchūriki, sacrificed himself to let Roshi carry Ōnoki away.
The Nine-Tails had been resealed.
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"Could this truly… be the work of a human?" Orochimaru whispered to himself.
This surpassed any notion of ninja prowess, standing more akin to the fabled legends of the First Hokage.
But Orochimaru quickly composed himself.
Biting his finger, he pressed his bloodied hand to the ground.
Poof.
A green snake, thick as a grown man's arm, appeared. It was the same snake Orochimaru had stationed at Kannabi Bridge to collect intelligence and await summons.
Until now, Orochimaru had chosen not to hear the news from the west, knowing Minato's condition rendered them powerless.
But now, he needed to know.
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The snake hissed as it spoke.
"Orochimaru-sama, you should prepare yourself."
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The tension in the cave thickened as Jiraiya's heart sank.
"Green Snake… The Old Man… did he…?"
The snake hesitated momentarily before continuing.
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"After heavy losses, Iwagakure overwhelmed the Konoha forces with sheer numbers. Many Konoha shinobi perished."
"To buy time for the survivors to retreat, the Third Hokage faced 14,000 Iwagakure ninja alone."
"For an entire day and night, until two hours ago…"
"He fell."
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"After suffering immense casualties, Iwagakure also withdrew."
"The war on that front… is over."
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Jiraiya froze.
Orochimaru, too, stood motionless for a moment before quietly murmuring, "So the Old Man picked himself a decent way to go, after all."
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Orochimaru wasn't overcome with grief.
He grasped the piece of flesh regurgitated by the green snake and smirked faintly.
"Don't worry, Sensei. I'll summon you back from the Pure Land."
"And perhaps… I'll bring a few others along with you."
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Jiraiya's eyes narrowed.
"Orochimaru… what are you planning?"
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Orochimaru stood and turned, clutching the fragment of flesh tightly. His voice was low, his intent chilling.
"I'm going back to Konoha."
"To assume the position of the Fourth Hokage."
"And to prepare for war with… the Uchiha Clan."
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Jiraiya's head shot up, his expression stricken.
"Kagami doesn't want to harm the village! Why are you and the Old Man so prejudiced against the Uchiha?!"
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Orochimaru stared at him coldly, his voice laced with quiet disdain.
"Go on your little journey, Jiraiya. Chase your Child of Prophecy."
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"Don't you see? Kagami doesn't just want power—he seeks control over everything."
"This isn't about prejudice or history. It's about ideals. The village the Old Man built cannot fall into the hands of the Uchiha."
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"But—"
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"Enough!" Orochimaru snapped.
"I am Hokage, not you!"
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A ruined battlefield.
A wasteland of severed limbs and bloodied corpses. Streams of crimson trickled through the fractured earth.
Kagami tore away the tattered remains of his shirt. His injuries closed before the eyes could follow, flesh knitting itself together at an astonishing speed.
He performed a quick summoning jutsu, conjuring a massive eagle.
Grabbing the unconscious Kushina by the collar, he threw her onto its back and leaped on himself.
The eagle let out a piercing cry, soaring eastward into the horizon.
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Eastern frontlines.
Across the war-torn terrain, Uchiha clansmen received an urgent summons.
They abandoned their respective missions without hesitation, converging at a single location.
This sudden shift did not escape the attention of Nara Shikaku, the Eastern Commander.
Alarmed, he immediately dispatched messengers to report to the village and ordered the scattered Hyūga forces to regroup.
The tension between Konoha and the Uchiha was no secret. A clash was inevitable—Shikaku just hadn't expected it to happen now.
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By midday, atop a windswept cliff.
Uchiha Kagami stood, watching as his clansmen arrived.
With his Mangekyō Sharingan, he didn't need to ask questions. He could sense the strength of each individual—how many tomoe they had awakened, the depth of their chakra.
By sunset, the Uchiha survivors of the Eastern front had all gathered.
Of the original 700 who had gone to war, only about 300 remained.
A few severely injured had been evacuated to Konoha, but in most cases, injury on the battlefield was a death sentence.
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The Uchiha present stood in eerie silence, their gazes steady.
These were survivors of blood-soaked battlefields. Most had awakened their Sharingan.
Those who hadn't compensated with mastery of ninjutsu or taijutsu.
Every Uchiha had been sent to the most dangerous positions.
Surviving alone was proof of their strength.
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Behind Kagami, Genka and Unzen stood stiffly.
They'd noticed the peculiar state of Kagami's right eye but dared not ask.
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Kagami's voice rang out, cold and steady.
"Everyone is here."
"Now, I announce my first decree as Clan Head."
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"In seven days, we will take Konoha."
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A ripple of shock spread through the crowd.
Several Uchiha activated their Sharingan instinctively, spurred by their emotions.
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"You know the reality of our clan's plight."
"If any of you wish to stand aside, I will grant you the chance…"
"Leave your eyes behind."
"And leave the Uchiha."
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As his words fell, Kagami's Mangekyō Sharingan activated, its four-pronged crown pattern radiating power.
The oppressive might of his ocular energy crushed the air itself, pinning everyone in place.
It felt as though the sky itself was collapsing, suffocating them under the weight of his sheer will.
For those with Sharingan, the disparity in power was as clear as night and day.
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This was the legendary Mangekyō Sharingan.
The power that elevated the Uchiha to gods.
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As the pressure receded, they found themselves able to breathe again.
Kagami's gaze swept across them all.
"Now… step forward if you wish to leave."
No one moved.
One by one, scarlet eyes glimmered in the dim light of dusk.
Their ancestors had faltered once.
This time, the Uchiha would not make the same mistake.
End of Chapter
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