Rising Shadows: Uchiha's Wrath

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Night had fallen over the Mist Ninja Village, signaling the start of the curfew. As the last rays of sunlight slipped away, villagers rushed into their homes, shutting doors and windows tightly behind them. Under the oppressive blood mist policy, even civilians lived in constant fear, particularly after dark. They knew the curfew patrols arranged by Yagura would not care for excuses—anyone caught outside was marked for death.

High above, on a watchtower near the village gates, two mist ninjas lazily scanned the fog-shrouded landscape. For them, this post was a rare escape from the blood-soaked turmoil below. Guard duty at the gate was considered one of the few safe and uneventful jobs left in the village. After all, who would dare attack the stronghold of one of the five great ninja villages?

But behind them, quietly spread across the outskirts of the village, a force of nearly 300 rebels stood ready. These were the brave few who still supported Terumi Mei's bid to overthrow Yagura and end the blood mist policy once and for all.

"Are you really putting your trust in Uchiha Kaito?" asked the elder, Master Yuan, his weathered face lined with doubt. Though old, his strength had not entirely left him, and he had accompanied Terumi Mei to the frontlines.

Terumi Mei's expression remained conflicted. "Master Yuan... I believe this is our only chance," she admitted. "Kaito might be our only hope to challenge Yagura and the dark forces controlling him. We don't stand a chance on our own."

She paused, recalling the sheer power Kaito had displayed. "His abilities, his command of space and time... they're beyond anything we can handle. Fighting him isn't an option."

Master Yuan frowned deeply, clearly still uneasy. "You're bargaining with a predator, Mei. One misstep and the Mist Village could fall into a deeper abyss."

"I know," she replied, her voice heavy. "But what choice do we have?"

The elder went silent. He had mentored Terumi Mei and knew how deeply she cared for the village. If she believed this was the only path, he would follow her lead, no matter how dangerous. Still, handing over the village's fate to a stranger left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"I don't like this," Yuan continued grimly. "But if Uchiha Kaito claims he doesn't need us to act, then we'll see. Let's watch and wait. If he can truly take down Yagura and his army alone, then I'll have no further objections. But if he falters..."

A cold gleam flashed in Yuan's eyes as his voice trailed off.

Terumi Mei nodded, though inwardly, she doubted they'd get the chance to act. After seeing Kaito's power firsthand, she knew they were no match for him.

Suddenly, a shift in the air made her tense. From the distance, she felt a vast, overwhelming presence approaching Mist Village.

"Kaito… he's here," she muttered, eyes narrowing.

In the heart of the village, Yagura too turned his gaze towards the gates, sensing the incoming storm.

On the watchtower, the two mist ninjas felt an inexplicable heaviness settle over them, as though they were being stalked by a predator. One ninja squinted into the thick fog, noticing a large shadow moving rapidly toward the village.

"Ring the bell," his partner said, panic creeping into his voice.

The warning bell rang out sharply, shattering the stillness of the curfew. Its tone echoed across the village, causing a stir. Mist ninjas rushed out of their barracks, drawn by the sound, just as they had during the rebellion of the Hozuki clan.

A hundred meters from the village, Kaito glanced up at the fortified gate.

"Well, since we've been noticed, let's go say hello," he said casually.

With a nod, one of his top commanders, Uchiha's Peak, led a few elite clansmen forward at high speed toward the gates, while Kaito and the others followed at a slower pace.

This was no ordinary strike force. Kaito had brought 100 of his best warriors with him, every one of them at the level of Jonin. After intense training and the unlocking of the clan's ancient jutsu, Uchiha had once again reached their former glory. More than fifty of them now wielded the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, while the rest, though less developed, had honed their skills to deadly precision.

As they neared the gate, Uchiha's team moved into position, each raising their hands to unleash a barrage of kunai laced with explosive tags.

On the watchtower, the two guards' eyes widened in horror as the kunai flew toward them, their explosive tags fluttering ominously.

"Get down!" one shouted, leaping off the tower.

A moment later, a deafening explosion ripped through the air, blowing a massive hole in the gates of Mist Village.

The village erupted into chaos.

Kaito's forces halted just before the shattered gates, regrouping as Uchiha Tekka and his team rejoined them. The opening move had been made, but Kaito remained calm. He had no intention of bringing the battle into the village.

Tonight, the battle would be fought on his terms.