shadow hokage dark moon

Chapter 41: The War of Annihilation

Amidst the fierce battle, Uzumaki Jinjin swiftly gathered the elder council of Uzushiogakure. These elders were among the strongest and most experienced shinobi of the Uzumaki Clan, yet their advanced age meant they could no longer fight on the frontlines for extended periods.

Upon seeing Jinjin's solemn expression, the elders immediately understood his intentions.

"Jinjin... don't tell me you're planning to—" one of the elders asked, his tone filled with sorrow and hesitation.

Jinjin nodded gravely.

"Yes. I've already made my decision. We cannot allow our young shinobi to die needlessly here. They are the future of the Uzumaki Clan. We, the old bones of this village… shall use the last of our strength to carve a path for them."

The elders fell into a heavy silence, exchanging glances.

They all knew this was the only choice left to them.

Jinjin looked at his lifelong comrades, a deep sorrow welling up inside him.

"It seems that Uzushiogakure is doomed to perish today." His voice was low, filled with the weight of inevitability.

But even in the face of this despair, his gaze remained steadfast.

He had resolved to sacrifice himself and the elders to cast one final forbidden jutsu—a desperate move to delay the Third Raikage and the enemy coalition, buying precious time for the younger generation of the Uzumaki Clan to escape.

"We will all perform the Forbidden Life Sealing Jutsu. With our very lives, we shall imprison the Raikage and their forces." Jinjin declared.

The elders, despite the gravity of this decision, stood tall.

"For Uzushiogakure, for the Uzumaki Clan, we shall follow you to the end!" they vowed.

Jinjin immediately issued his final orders to the remaining Uzumaki shinobi on the battlefield.

He ordered all young shinobi to break through enemy lines, prioritize the evacuation of civilians, and leave the capital immediately.

"You must leave here, carrying the hope and legacy of the Uzumaki Clan. Do not look back. Keep moving forward. No matter what happens—survive. Protect our clan's future."

Tears welled in the eyes of the younger Uzumaki shinobi.

They understood what this meant—Jinjin and the elders had already accepted their fate.

They knew that if they obeyed this order, they would be leaving their leader and elders to certain death.

Yet they also knew they had to follow through—because the future of the Uzumaki Clan rested on their shoulders.

"Yes, Lord Jinjin! We will pass down the will of the Uzumaki!" the young shinobi vowed, their voices choked with grief.

With that, the evacuation began.

Jinjin and the elders formed a massive sealing array, drawing upon their very life force to power the technique.

The battlefield trembled under the enormous chakra surge.

From afar, the Third Raikage Ai sensed the disturbance. His instincts flared with danger as he recognized that the Uzumaki were about to unleash something catastrophic.

"Tch... they're planning something dangerous," the Raikage growled. He surged forward, trying to interrupt the technique before it was complete.

But Jinjin was prepared.

"COME, RAIDEN! Let's see if your lightning can outmatch the unbreakable will of Uzushiogakure!"

He pushed his chakra to the limit, unleashing a final adamantine sealing barrier, momentarily halting the Raikage's charge.

The other elders finished their seals—

BOOM!

A colossal sealing barrier erupted, encasing the battlefield.

The Third Raikage, along with hundreds of enemy shinobi, were trapped inside.

"WHAT?!" The Raikage pounded against the barrier, lightning crackling from his fists. But even his legendary strength couldn't break it immediately.

Meanwhile, the young Uzumaki shinobi managed to break through enemy lines, disappearing into the forests beyond.

—

On the other side of the battlefield, Uchiha Tsukiko and his elite squad continued to fight their way toward the escaping Uzumaki survivors.

After enduring countless skirmishes, Tsukiko finally found the Uzushiogakure shinobi who had managed to escape the capital.

They were bloodied, exhausted, and broken.

Their clothes were torn, their bodies scarred—yet their eyes burned with grief rather than fear.

A heavy silence hung over them.

Tsukiko approached their leader, his expression grave.

"You made it… Are you all right?"

A severely wounded Uzumaki Jonin limped toward him, his voice trembling.

"Tsukiko-sama… Lord Jinjin… He… He is dead."

Tsukiko's heart sank.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice low and controlled.

The Jonin clenched his fists, tears brimming in his eyes.

"Before we escaped, Lord Jinjin and the elders... they chose to sacrifice themselves. They used the Forbidden Life Sealing Jutsu to imprison the Raikage and the coalition forces, giving us time to flee…"

Tsukiko's hands tightened into fists.

Jinjin had chosen the most painful path, just to ensure his people could survive.

A deep rage began to boil within him.

"Uzumaki Jinjin… He gave everything for his clan."

The Uzumaki shinobi lowered their heads, unable to hold back their tears.

For them, victory came at an unbearable cost.

They had escaped, but their leader would never return.

Tsukiko took a deep breath, suppressing the emotions welling inside him.

He turned toward the refugees, his Sharingan glinting in the dim light.

"Do not mourn for long." His voice was firm, unwavering.

"Jinjin's sacrifice must not be in vain. You carry the last hopes of the Uzumaki. And I swear on my name—I will protect you all."

The Uzumaki warriors looked up—and in Tsukiko's gaze, they saw something beyond grief.

They saw an unshakable will.

But before they could respond, Tsukiko's senses flared.

He detected a massive surge of enemy chakra approaching.

"The enemy is pursuing us."

The shinobi around him tensed.

The remnants of the enemy coalition—those who had not been caught in Jinjin's sacrifice—were still hunting the Uzumaki.

The battle was not yet over.

Tsukiko stood tall, his chakra surging like an unstoppable force.

He would not let them be wiped out.

"Everyone, get ready."

His eyes glowed crimson, Sharingan spinning fiercely.

"Because this time… we make our stand."