Chapter 25: Kannabi Bridge

Chapter 25: Kannabi Bridge

A few days later, Uchiha Fugaku arrived with a group of fifty Uchiha shinobi. Each was at least at the two-tomoe Sharingan level, and among them were seven with three-tomoe Sharingan, including Fugaku himself.

This force alone was enough to turn the tide of a small-scale battle.

"Fugaku, you're here!"

Minato greeted him warmly, and for once, Fugaku's usually stern face softened into a rare smile.

The two had worked together on missions in the past and shared a deep camaraderie. It was largely because of Minato's influence that Fugaku believed it was possible for the Uchiha clan to integrate into the village.

However, upon Fugaku's arrival, dozens of Uchiha shinobi immediately moved to stand behind Uchiha Kagami, clearly separating themselves from Fugaku's group. The atmosphere turned tense.

Fugaku's face twitched in frustration. Despite being the clan head, his authority was blatantly challenged. These shinobi could've at least waited before taking a side so openly!

Kagami glanced at the group that had aligned themselves with him. They were mostly younger shinobi, with only one possessing a three-tomoe Sharingan.

"Genka, how's Elder Kamika's health?" Kagami addressed the young man with the three-tomoe Sharingan.

"Thank you for your concern. My father is doing well."

Genka, Kamika's son, held the same ideals as his father. His respect for Kagami as the heir to Kamika's faction was apparent.

Like Kamika, Genka firmly believed Kagami was the one to lead the Uchiha clan to greatness.

The Uchiha clan had grown increasingly divided. While Fugaku advocated for integrating with the village, Kagami's unparalleled talent and growing strength made him a natural rallying point for those dissatisfied with the status quo. This division left the higher-ups of Konoha, particularly Hiruzen Sarutobi, uneasy.

"I arranged for Jiraiya to mentor you, and yet you still don't trust the village?" Hiruzen often lamented. "What more could you possibly want?"

Fugaku was equally baffled. The Hokage had sent a clear message of trust. If Kagami merely played along and acted more approachable, he could even have a shot at becoming Hokage one day!

Kagami, of course, knew better.

No matter how much the Uchiha did, in the minds of the Hokage and his advisors, the clan would always be a threat. That prejudice stemmed from the teachings of the Second Hokage.

Explaining further was pointless. Fugaku's presence only confirmed his alignment with the Hokage's camp, just as Kagami had predicted. There was no need to preserve Fugaku's dignity.

"According to Lord Orochimaru's orders, all Uchiha shinobi will follow my commands," Kagami stated plainly.

"No problem, right, Clan Head Fugaku?"

Fugaku's face darkened, but he managed to nod, though his voice betrayed his irritation. "Of course. On the battlefield, all shinobi must follow orders."

The word orders carried a sharp edge. If Kagami wanted to assert dominance, Fugaku would respond in kind.

Pulling out a scroll, Fugaku added coldly, "By Hokage-sama's decree, you are to follow my orders."

Kagami chuckled. "My apologies, but the battlefield allows for exceptions. 'A commander in the field is not bound by orders from afar.'"

"I don't trust your ability to lead. In emergencies, I'll rely on my own judgment."

"You—!"

A moment ago, Kagami had invoked Orochimaru's name to assert authority, yet now he dismissed the Hokage's decree outright?

Minato, sensing the tension, stepped in to mediate. "We're all comrades of the Leaf. Let's focus on our shared goal of defending the border. Specific actions can be determined based on the situation."

Fortunately, both Kagami and Fugaku respected Minato enough to let the matter drop.

---

In the command tent, Minato spread out a map and pointed to a location in the northwest of the Land of Grass.

"I've scouted the terrain. This is a chokepoint that any large-scale Iwagakure force would have to pass through."

The location he indicated was a bridge, soon to become one of the most famous landmarks in the ninja world—Kannabi Bridge.

"If we station forces here, we can block any large-scale movements by Iwagakure," Minato explained. "I'll also leave Flying Thunder God markers along the border. If a small group of powerful enemies takes another route, I can quickly respond."

Flying Thunder God made many strategic options viable. For now, Iwagakure had not made any significant moves, and only small skirmishes occurred in the Land of Grass. Neither Minato nor the others gave much thought to the concerns of the small country.

"Why don't we just blow up the bridge?" Kagami suggested casually. After all, he knew that in the original timeline, the bridge would eventually be destroyed.

Minato sighed. "This bridge is a critical transportation link. Destroying it unprovoked would be seen as a declaration of war against Iwagakure."

Since the First Shinobi War, Konoha had never initiated war against another village. Destroying Kannabi Bridge would be unprecedented.

Kagami shrugged, dropping the topic. But his thoughts drifted elsewhere.

If the Kannabi Bridge battle is set to happen, does that mean Madara is already in the Land of Grass?

It was possible. The Outer Path Golem wasn't easy to move, so Madara was likely nearby.

Kagami wasn't particularly worried about encountering Madara. The legendary Uchiha was old and far from his prime, with his Rinnegan already transplanted into Nagato.

Besides, Madara had never killed an Uchiha. Even during his final battle with Sasuke, he had offered the younger Uchiha a chance to surrender.

Madara's disdain for the Uchiha clan didn't extend to outright extermination. If not for Black Zetsu's machinations, Kagami might've considered approaching Madara for an alliance.

---

After much deliberation, Minato, Kagami, and Fugaku were assigned to lead five elite shinobi to defend Kannabi Bridge. Sarutobi Shinnosuke and other forces would remain on the border as a precaution.

The group departed and encountered only minor resistance from Iwagakure and Kusagakure shinobi. Claiming to be on a mission, they passed through the Land of Grass without incident and reached Kannabi Bridge.

For now, the situation was calm.

But they all knew the peace wouldn't last. Once news of Orochimaru's assault on the Wind Nation spread, Iwagakure would inevitably make its move.

And then…

The storm would come.

---

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