Chapter 170: Advantage

Looking at the tragic scene before him, caused by his own actions, Tōshirō felt a sense of emotion that ninjas of this era did not typically experience. The impact of this twisted ninja world on him was truly immense.

He, who had never even killed a chicken before, could now send numerous lives to the realm of death with indifference.

Killing ten lives at once was an unimaginable horror in his previous life, a legend that only existed in unheard-of news reports.

Now, it didn't affect him much at all.

War truly could turn a normal human into a beast without a shred of compassion!

Just like in his previous life, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't imagine that one day he would turn into the person he was now!

...

Seeing the Iwa ninja appear at the spot he had just vacated, Tōshirō didn't hesitate. In moments like this, he couldn't afford to overthink. If he didn't kill his opponent, he would be the one to die.

Feeling the limited chakra he had left, Tōshirō slowly drew the ninja sword strapped to his lower back. Ever since his small short sword was lost during Yōsensei's ambush, he had been carrying the last ancestral ninja sword left by his father.

After a short period of adaptation, he could now use this chakra-based weapon, which was over a meter long, quite well.

"Die!"

Without further words, the Iwa ninja, who was more like a tree stump than a ninja, charged at Tōshirō, swinging his weapon. There was no need for any more words after his teammate was wiped out by Tōshirō. The only conversation between them was through their weapons.

Clang!

Utilizing the advantage of his Sharingan, Tōshirō easily blocked the attack. However, his excessive exhaustion meant he couldn't launch a substantial counterattack. He could only slowly maneuver, hoping to recover under his companions' cover or that his Sharingan would give him an edge without consuming too much chakra.

The previous three rounds of attacks, while highly effective, had consumed a significant amount of chakra. Whether it was his self-developed Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu, the Third Hokage's Shadow Shuriken Jutsu, or the final Fire Release: Dragon Flame Song Jutsu, each ninjutsu was at least B-rank and had nearly depleted his chakra.

Even his body felt some strain. It wasn't that his physical strength was lacking; it was just that exerting himself so intensely at once made him feel drained. With a bit of time to catch his breath, he could recover his combat strength.

At this moment, the young Uchiha ninjas, led by Uchiha En and Uchiha Tetsu, finally arrived at the scene, surrounding the stunned Iwa ninjas.

The situation had fundamentally changed from the initial engagement where a large number of Iwa ninjas attacked the young Uchiha kids. Now, the kids were besieging the remaining Iwa ninjas.

"En! Be careful!"

"The leading Jōnin is hiding. Stay alert and don't engage directly. Let Tetsu lead the clan members to attack..."

Just like Tōshirō had just done!

He had worked hard to gain the upper hand. If the hidden Jōnin pulled a similar surprise attack, all efforts would be wasted. The enemy hadn't suffered much in the earlier clash, and their chakra consumption was negligible. If careless, the opponent could turn the tables completely.

"Got it!"

"You be careful too. The enemy must be targeting you now~" The graceful Uchiha En didn't react overly, instead reminding Tōshirō to be cautious.

With a vigilant gaze from her Sharingan, En closely watched for any movements in the battlefield.

Tōshirō was aware of his situation. Having given the enemy such a massive shock, it was likely that the Iwa Jōnin would want to dismember him in retaliation. It was impossible not to stay highly alert!

As for whether this would cause casualties among his clan members, he had considered it deeply. Alone, he couldn't protect everyone behind him. It was better to let them gain some proper training. Even if some familiar companions faced misfortune, there was nothing he could do.

He wasn't a saint, nor did he have such compassion, and his strength didn't allow it either.

If, under these advantageous circumstances, his companions still faced casualties, he would accept it. He could help them once or twice, but not every time. To survive the long-lasting war, they would ultimately have to rely on themselves.

And then there was the matter of the Sharingan.

Understanding the nature of his bloodline limit, allowing these clan members to experience some danger wasn't a bad thing. Without this, living under constant protection would likely reduce their chances of awakening the Sharingan. 

Every Sharingan awakening was accompanied by blood and tears, making each awakened member both love and hate their bloodline. Although not everyone had to experience the death of a companion or someone they cared about, feelings of hurt, helplessness, regret, and despair were always essential. The stronger these negative emotions erupted, the higher the chances of awakening the Sharingan.

Thus, the more severe the experiences of battle, despair, and fierce combat the Uchiha clan members underwent, the more astonishing their potential would become.