Return to the Mountain Graveyard

As Shisui sparred with Itachi on the training ground, he gradually adapted to his reanimated body, becoming increasingly proficient with its power.

*Swish, swish, swish.*

Suddenly, dozens of Shisui clones surrounded Itachi, launching a relentless wave of attacks.

The famed Body Flicker Technique that Shisui was known for was as impressive as ever.

Itachi, relying solely on taijutsu, soon found himself overwhelmed. He had to form hand signs and place his palm on the ground.

He used Wood Release.

*Boom.*

With a loud rumble, numerous trees burst from the ground around Itachi, forming a small forest that effectively halted Shisui's clones.

Under Itachi's control, the trees surged towards Shisui, quickly engulfing him.

*Buzz, buzz.*

A brilliant green light exploded, severing all the trees, as a green Susanoo rose from the ground.

Seeing this, Fugaku and the others on the sidelines were astonished.

Despite Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan being in Dan's possession, he could still use its abilities, including Susanoo, even after being reanimated.

Incredible.

Dan, however, was not surprised.

In the original story, Itachi's eyes were transplanted to his brother Sasuke, yet when Kabuto reanimated him, Itachi retained his Mangekyō Sharingan.

Nagato, too, was able to use the Rinnegan's powers despite them not originally being his own eyes when reanimated.

And Uchiha Madara, who had given his Rinnegan to Nagato, could still use its powers after being reanimated.

Madara even managed to break the Reanimation Jutsu contract, becoming a "free reanimated body."

He gained immortality, infinite chakra, and absolute freedom.

Dan had some doubts about the Reanimation Jutsu.

The immortality it granted could be explained as a feature of jutsu. Sealing techniques could counter the so-called immortal bodies.

But the infinite chakra provided by the Reanimation Jutsu was inexplicable.

Energy should be conserved. If the reanimated bodies had infinite chakra, it had to come from somewhere.

Could it be from the living sacrifices?

No, the sacrifices wouldn't have that much chakra, even the best White Zetsu sacrifices only had the chakra level of a Chūnin.

Could it be remotely transmitted from the caster?

This didn't make sense either. Kabuto revived many powerful ninjas at once. It would have exhausted him if he had to provide all their chakra.

The Reanimation Jutsu seemed to be a bug in the system.

However, according to Orochimaru's research, the current version of the Reanimation Jutsu had a major flaw.

The living sacrifices used for the Reanimation Jutsu were containers for the souls of the dead.

Like Orochimaru's Living Corpse Reincarnation, these containers needed to be periodically replaced, and the cycle was much shorter.

This was because the deathly aura brought from the Pure Land eroded the container over time, causing it to decay rapidly.

Sometimes in as little as a day or two, sometimes in up to half a month.

To solve this problem, Orochimaru developed a new sealing technique to store reanimated bodies in wooden coffins temporarily. The sealing runes on the coffins slowed the erosion of the deathly aura.

When the reanimated bodies were needed for combat, they could be released from the coffins.

Upon learning of this flaw, Shisui wasn't discouraged but smiled optimistically:

"I'm already happy to be revived and to see everyone again."

"We will continue to improve this jutsu until it's perfected. One day, you can become a free reanimated body and stay with the clan forever," Fugaku promised Shisui earnestly.

Next, with the consent of the families of the deceased and considering the number of remaining sacrifices, Fugaku used the Reanimation Jutsu to revive several Uchiha clan members who had died on the battlefield, including Chiho's brother and Inaho, a total of over ten people.

After a brief reunion of half a day:

*Boom.*

Fugaku performed the jutsu again, summoning a row of wooden coffins.

Shisui, Inaho, and the others bid farewell to their clan and entered the coffins, falling into a deep sleep.

When the clan faced a crisis and needed their power, these warriors would awaken once more and fight for the Uchiha.

"Clan leader."

At that moment, Uchiha Kenzo returned to report to Fugaku, "We seem to have been exposed. Scouts from various ninja villages have entered the Land of Rice Fields and are approaching the Sound Village."

Upon hearing this, the Uchiha members exchanged knowing looks. They had anticipated this outcome.

It was time for another strategic relocation.

But where to go next?

"There is a place that might be suitable," Dan suddenly suggested.

"Where?" Fugaku asked curiously.

"The Mountain Graveyard." Dan's gaze turned northward.

The Mountain Graveyard, wasn't that Obito's old hideout?

The mention of this place brought back memories for many clan members of the night when the Uchiha clan launched a surprise attack on the Mountain Graveyard.

Indeed, the place was far from the ninja world, surrounded by wilderness for hundreds of miles. It was a perfect hiding spot.

Moreover, the Uchiha clan was familiar with the area.

"Let's do it. Our destination is the Mountain Graveyard!" Fugaku's eyes lit up as he gave the order.

Half an hour later, the Uchiha clan packed up all valuable items from the Sound Village and loaded them into the steel fortress.

Then, with a rumble, the massive steel fortress burrowed into the ground and quickly left.

Heading north, the Uchiha clan drove the steel fortress out of the Land of Rice Fields, entering the northern peninsula and heading into the vast primal forest.

One day later, they reached a dangerous forest where giant trees blocked out the sun, wild beasts roared, and flocks of birds flew in fright.

Vultures circled in the sky, screeching sharply.

On the ground, the skeletons of large animals littered the area, some as tall as small hills.

This was the Mountain Graveyard.

For years, the presence of giant beasts made it a forbidden area, even for ninjas.

However, the location was secluded, surrounded by the sea on three sides, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack.

That's why Uchiha Madara had chosen it as his hideout, staying there for decades.

Now, the Uchiha clan had arrived.

*Boom.*

A steel fortress emerged from the ground, moving through the forest.

Any beast in this forest, faced with this massive iron giant capable of firing bullets and cannonballs, had no choice but to flee.

In the depths of the graveyard was a hundred-meter-wide hole, Madara's former hideout, burned down by the Uchiha.

Near the hole was a small mountain with a flat summit offering a good vantage point.

The Uchiha decided to settle there.

Wood Release: Multi-House Technique!

Fugaku, Itachi, Tekka, Chiho, and Yamato combined their powers, quickly creating hundreds of wooden houses to fill the mountaintop.

The reason for building so many houses was simple.

The Uchiha clan was moving out of the Kamui dimension.

The Kamui dimension was a gloomy place with no sunlight. Staying there for months could easily lead to depression.

Long-term residence was not a solution.

Thus, after discussions within the clan, Dan used Kamui to transfer 500 ordinary clan members out of the Kamui dimension.

In the following days, the Uchiha set traps and sensory barriers around the forest to guard against enemy invasions.

The steel fortress remained nearby, ready to evacuate the clan if needed.

Once settled, Fugaku led a group to continue researching the Reanimation Jutsu. When Tsunade learned of this, she offered her help, wanting to perfect the technique.

Perhaps Tsunade was bored, or maybe she was interested in the jutsu, wanting to keep herself busy.

More likely, she feared Orochimaru's success and the possibility of him resurrecting her grandfather and granduncle.

If she had to choose, Tsunade preferred the Uchiha reviving her grandfathers, believing they wouldn't mistreat them out of respect for her.

Moreover, their power might help the Uchiha defeat the Shinobi Alliance and reclaim Konoha.

This was something Tsunade wanted.

If her grandfathers became Orochimaru's reanimated puppets, it would be disastrous.

To thwart Orochimaru's ambitions, Tsunade used her medical and sealing knowledge to significantly aid the Uchiha in improving the Reanimation Jutsu.

Over the past winter, the Uchiha mastered the power of the Gelel Stone in addition to the Reanimation Jutsu.

Using the data obtained from the steel fortress and their own experiments, many clan members could now transform using the Gelel Stone.

In the forest.

"Awooo!"

Uchiha Yashiro was surrounded by a pack of wolves, inching closer to tear him apart.

At that moment, the Gelel Stone in Yashiro's chest burst with blue light, enveloping him.

"Awooo!"

With a howl, Yashiro's body grew to five meters tall, covered in fur, his head transforming into a wolf's.

This beast transformation was one way to utilize the natural energy within the Gelel Stone.

Similar to Sage Mode.

In his werewolf form, Yashiro's strength, speed, and agility were greatly enhanced.

*Whoosh.*

He charged into the pack, slashing with sharp claws, massacring the wolves.

Then, with a roar, Yashiro created a shockwave, scattering the wolves in fear.

In his werewolf form, Yashiro's taijutsu reached Kage level.

"Lord Yashiro!"

Two Uchiha Jōnin appeared from the forest, joining Yashiro.

One had transformed into a giant ape with black skin, white hair, and long arms like a monkey. The other had become a bat with long, sharp ears, a black tail, and green-winged membranes.

The three were out practicing their beast transformation techniques and hunting for food.

They smiled at each other, carrying their prey back to the village.

Dan's use of the Gelel Stone was more profound than ordinary clan members like Yashiro.

He was training in Sage Mode.

Over the past three months, Dan had deepened his understanding of natural energy through the Gelel Stone.

In his room, he sat cross-legged, motionless, with a calligraphy piece reading "Sitting and Forgetting" hanging on the wall.

Dan had entered a state of "sitting and forgetting."

His spine was straight, his breath connecting to the earth below and the sky above, achieving harmony with nature.

At that moment, Dan's body felt like it was part of the planet, absorbing vast amounts of natural energy.

After a while, Dan opened his eyes, ending his meditation, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes.

Not far now.

Dan could sense that the legendary Sage Mode was within reach.

Just then, the door creaked open.

"Master, tea is ready." Samui entered with a tray, smiling softly at Dan.

Dan stood up, taking the tea, and said, "I'll handle this myself in the future. You should rest."

He glanced at Samui's slightly swollen belly, a rare gentle look in his eyes.

She was over two months pregnant.

Noticing Dan's gaze, Samui touched her belly, murmuring, "I hope the war is over when this child is born."

As a mother, she wished for a peaceful world for their child to grow up in.

"It will be," Dan said firmly, his words simple yet reassuring.

He wrapped an arm around Samui's shoulders.

Together, they looked out the window.

The Uchiha clan was growing stronger every day, preparing for the next confrontation with the Shinobi Alliance.

Next time, the Uchiha wouldn't run.

It would be the final battle.

As the Uchiha settled in the Mountain Graveyard, scouts from the ninja villages infiltrated the Sound Village, only to find it abandoned.

While the ninja villages were frustrated, a new report arrived—

Signs of Shukaku's activity were detected in the ruins of the Land of Whirlpools, suggesting Gaara, the One-Tails Jinchūriki, had gone berserk.

This news immediately captured the attention of the ninja villages, diverting their focus from the Uchiha.