Return of the Uchiha Prodigy

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"Crash!"

A colossal surge of water, having overpowered the Third Hokage's Shadow Clone Jutsu, surged through the streets, toppling houses in its wake.

The torrent swept away debris and surged forward, roaring toward a group of civilians fleeing to the safety of the shelters.

A Water Release of this magnitude was near unstoppable, even if a squad of skilled ninja tried to resist it.

The enormous wave bore down on them, and as the civilians glanced back, despair filled their eyes.

Suddenly, a blur appeared in front of the water, hands moving through a series of seals, ending with the "Yin" seal.

"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"

Flames erupted from his mouth, expanding rapidly to meet the rushing water head-on.

"Ssssh!"

The fire and water clashed violently, sending a thick cloud of steam billowing into the air. The figure of the man became obscured, but the civilians immediately recognized him.

"It's the Uchiha clan's leader!"

"Uchiha Fugaku-sama!"

Among the Uchiha, only their patriarch, Fugaku, could wield a Fire Release of this scale.

"Take this chance! Get to safety!" yelled one of the Konoha ninja overseeing the evacuation, his voice carrying both urgency and surprise at Fugaku's timely intervention.

As Fugaku held back the Water Release, the Third Hokage's other clones began to falter under the strain of multiple battles.

"Boom!"

A massive wall of earth suddenly erupted from the ground, blocking a terrifying wave of flames that had just descended.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!" Jiraiya's voice rang out, his face set in concentration as he shielded the village.

The flames crashed into the earthen wall, causing it to glow red-hot, but the defense held.

Just as Jiraiya turned his attention to another area, a thunderous crack echoed through the battlefield. A bolt of lightning, swift and deadly, struck down from the sky like a pillar of destruction.

"Chidori!"

A high-pitched chirping sound cut through the air as Kakashi, clad in his ANBU gear, appeared beneath the descending bolt. The lightning gathered in his palm, intensifying, growing even darker in color.

"He's going to cut through lightning?!" a nearby Konoha ninja gasped in disbelief.

Kakashi's Sharingan spun rapidly, and with precision, he thrust his Chidori forward, slicing through the bolt of lightning with a flash of sparks.

Though Fugaku, Jiraiya, and Kakashi had each neutralized powerful elemental ninjutsu, two more deadly forces remained unchecked, racing toward the fleeing civilians.

"Whoosh!"

A Wind Release tore through the air, slashing everything in its path. Itachi and Izumi were dangerously close to the shelter, but the civilians at the rear had no time to react.

"Ahhh!"

The Wind Release hit the remaining civilians, their screams piercing the air as blades of wind sliced through their bodies. Blood sprayed into the air.

A group of Konoha ninja, assigned to cover the retreat, leaped into action. With no time to form proper jutsu, they threw themselves in front of the civilians, using their bodies as shields.

Their flesh was shredded, but they held the line long enough for their comrades to release defensive ninjutsu, momentarily halting the Wind Release.

"Run! Now!" screamed one of the Konoha ninja, his voice raw as he stared down death.

Izumi froze, tears streaming down her face as the horrific scene unfolded. The civilians around her stood paralyzed with fear and despair.

Itachi, his voice commanding despite his young age, snapped them out of their shock. "Run! If you stop now, their sacrifice will be in vain!"

Grabbing Izumi's hand, Itachi bolted toward safety, cradling baby Sasuke in his arms as the infant began to cry.

As they fled, the Konoha ninja holding back the Wind Release started to fall, one by one, torn apart by the brutal force. Yet others stepped up to replace them.

Just as the Wind Release began to fade, a stray blast slipped through their defenses, heading straight for Itachi and Izumi.

With a sharp sound, the wind blades ripped through the air. Itachi sensed the danger and reacted instantly. He shoved Izumi aside and twisted his body, shielding Sasuke from the attack.

The wind blade grazed Itachi's shoulder, tearing through his clothes and leaving a thin cut on his cheek. Blood trickled down his face, but he remained focused, quickly glancing at Sasuke to ensure he was unharmed.

The Wind Release finally dissipated, leaving devastation in its wake. The streets were littered with bodies, civilians who hadn't reached safety in time. The once-lively roads were now painted with blood and death.

Izumi sat up, tears streaming down her face as she took in the horror before her. She gagged, unable to hold back the revulsion.

Itachi stood, his blood-red Sharingan spinning wildly. His young face was twisted in anger and sorrow as he surveyed the carnage. His hands trembled, and his breath came in shallow, ragged gasps as he fought to maintain his composure.

As tears spilled from his eyes, they mixed with the blood on his cheek, leaving a haunting red trail down his face.

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Suddenly, Itachi felt an intense swelling in his eyes, followed by a sharp, searing pain shooting through his head.

"Ahhh!"

The pain was unbearable, beyond what any child should endure. Even Itachi, known for his composure, couldn't suppress his scream. His small body staggered, but despite the agony, his arms instinctively tightened, still cradling Sasuke securely, shielding him.

His Sharingan abruptly deactivated, and yet, a strange sensation echoed in his mind.

Snap!

The familiar sound of his Sharingan activating rang out once again.

"Why... why is this happening?" Itachi thought, gritting his teeth against the pain. He stared at the carnage before him—the devastation and the bodies strewn across the streets. His heart swelled with a combination of sorrow and rage.

He had once followed a principle that transcended the ethics of the shinobi world, striving to prevent needless loss of life. Yet, here he stood, witnessing the senseless destruction of his village, and his resolve wavered under the weight of the horror.

His outburst drew the attention of the fleeing civilians. Some hesitated, turning back to the chaos that loomed behind them. The sight of the destruction, of their fallen loved ones, filled them with dread.

One man, however, overcame his fear. Trembling, he ran toward Itachi and Izumi.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice quivering as he extended a hand to help Itachi to his feet.

Izumi remained frozen in place, her wide eyes staring vacantly at the devastation.

The man, likely in his thirties, glanced at Itachi's tear-streaked face, noticing the blood trickling from the corner of his eye. His pupils widened in fear.

"Boom!"

Another explosion rocked the village, the ground shaking beneath the clash of immense power. The man flinched, knowing full well that civilians and lower-ranked shinobi were powerless in the face of such destructive forces.

The noise snapped Itachi back to reality. He straightened and looked past the destruction toward the enormous wooden construct still rampaging through Konoha. His eyes narrowed in determination before turning his gaze to Izumi.

She stood there, still in shock, though a nearby villager was attempting to console her.

"Izumi," Itachi called softly as he approached her, still holding Sasuke in his arms. He placed a hand on her shoulder, the firm yet gentle touch rousing her.

"Itachi?" she whispered, confused, her gaze slowly focusing on him. Then she noticed the blood on his face. "You… are you hurt?"

Memories of him pushing her out of harm's way flooded back, but she hesitated.

Itachi shook his head. He glanced down at Sasuke, who remained tightly swaddled and safe in his arms. He carefully handed Sasuke over to Izumi.

"Please, look after Sasuke," Itachi instructed, his voice calm and steady. "The shelter is close now; this place is safe."

Izumi stared at him, her eyes wide with concern. "What... what are you going to do?" she asked, cradling Sasuke in her arms as he began to stir.

The infant's cries grew louder, and Izumi, inexperienced with handling babies, panicked. She tried to mimic how Itachi had held him, but Sasuke continued to wail.

With a gentle smile, Itachi leaned down and tapped Sasuke's forehead with two fingers.

"Be good, Sasuke," he whispered softly. "Your brother will be back soon."

Sasuke's cries softened as he gazed up at Itachi, his tiny eyes filled with innocence.

Itachi stood and turned to Izumi, his expression resolute. "Trust me. This will end."

Before she could protest, Itachi darted off toward the massive wooden figure, his movements swift and purposeful. The Konoha shinobi stationed nearby barely had time to react as he disappeared into the chaos of battle.

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"Boom!"

At the center of the village, the Third Hokage's staff extended from his hands, striking the colossal wooden construct. The impact forced the creature to stagger backward.

A shadow loomed above, and with a deafening crash, a massive figure landed atop the wooden construct, crushing it with sheer weight.

"Boom!"

The ground trembled as the giant summoning beast pinned the construct beneath it. The chakra that had been gathering in the creature's five mouths sputtered and dissipated.

"It's using too much chakra," Jiraiya muttered, his eyes fixed on the wooden monstrosity. "Its power is waning."

But both Jiraiya and the Third Hokage had expended tremendous amounts of chakra throughout the prolonged battle, and the strain was beginning to show.

"Jiraiya, my summoning time is nearly up," Gamabunta warned, his voice steady but strained.

Jiraiya gritted his teeth. "I know."

As if on cue, a puff of smoke erupted at Jiraiya's feet—the telltale sign of a summoning reaching its limit. His body began to plummet from the sky, with no creature beneath him to cushion his fall.

Seeing an opening, the wooden construct extended a massive hand, aiming to crush Jiraiya mid-air.

Unable to dodge in time, Jiraiya braced himself, crossing his arms in a defensive stance.

Clang!

Golden chakra chains shot upward from the village below, wrapping tightly around the wooden construct and halting its movement.

Jiraiya's eyes widened in shock.

"Kushina?!"

The Adamantine Sealing Chains, an ability unique to the Uzumaki Clan, had halted the construct. In her prime, Kushina had used those very chains to subdue even the Nine-Tails.

At the base of the chains stood Kushina, her face pale, sweat dripping down her brow. She was still recovering from childbirth, but her resolve was unwavering.

"Cough… cough…"

Kushina coughed violently, her body trembling under the strain. Yet the chains held firm, binding the wooden construct in place.

Despite having given birth mere hours ago, and with the Nine-Tails constantly testing the limits of her seal, Kushina's strength remained formidable.

"Minato…" she murmured, her senses tuned to the chakra signature of her husband battling elsewhere in the village. She could feel the intensity of his clash with the masked man who had attacked her during Naruto's birth.

Amidst the chaos of battle, none noticed the small figure silently making its way through the village, drawing ever closer to the heart of the conflict…

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