Naruto: Uchiha Survivor Forced to Save the Shinobi World

Clang clang clang.

In a shadowy forest, a large number of Hidden Mist shinobi were pursuing two fleeing demons, the sound of clashing metal ringing out incessantly!

"Don't let them escape!"

"They're at four o'clock!"

"Got them!"

As the encirclement tightened, the Hidden Mist shinobi finally surrounded the two demons that had been scurrying about in all directions.

The two demons, now trapped in the center, wore expressions of sheer panic.

Their bodies were covered in wounds, blood flowing freely. The exaggerated regenerative abilities of demons seemed to have failed them entirely.

The Hidden Mist's lead jōnin spoke, "These two monsters have completely exhausted their chakra. Everyone, give it one final push!"

"Yes!"

The surrounding Hidden Mist shinobi responded in unison.

When they had first entered the Land of Grass under the Fourth Mizukage's command, the demons had caught them off guard, resulting in significant losses.

But shinobi were shinobi, after all. Gathering intelligence and identifying an enemy's weaknesses were their greatest strengths.

As the battle wore on, the Hidden Mist shinobi uncovered the demons' abilities and vulnerabilities one by one, and thus, the hunt reversed.

Large groups of Hidden Mist shinobi spread out, hunting demons across the Land of Grass. The roles of hunter and prey flipped in an instant!

"Damn you wretched shinobi! I'll slaughter you all!"

Seemingly aware of their impending fate, the surrounded demons roared in fury.

"Attack!"

The Hidden Mist's lead jōnin issued the command without hesitation.

Swish swish swish!

In an instant, the Hidden Mist shinobi launched kunai wrapped with explosive tags from all directions.

Boom boom boom.

A series of explosions lit up the entire forest in a fiery red glow. When the blasts subsided, the flames died down, and the smoke cleared, the two demons had been obliterated into ash.

After confirming the demons' destruction, the Hidden Mist's lead jōnin ordered, "Rest for fifteen minutes, then move out!"

Whoosh!

Just as the Hidden Mist shinobi relaxed and prepared to rest, a dark figure suddenly descended behind the lead jōnin.

The lead jōnin froze in shock, turning to look, but all he saw was a flash of cold steel.

In the next moment, he witnessed his own headless body collapse to the ground, his ears ringing with the horrified cries of his comrades!

In his rapidly spinning field of vision, he desperately searched for his attacker, finally spotting the figure standing behind his headless corpse—a warrior holding a long blade, with eyes inscribed with the kanji for 'Upper Rank Two.'

"Upper Rank Two? I… I'm dead?!"

This was the final thought that flashed through the Hidden Mist lead jōnin's mind.

The death of their captain threw the Hidden Mist unit into chaos. Moments later, with a whoosh, a Hidden Mist distress flare shot into the night sky, bursting into a vivid display of fireworks.

However, what the Hidden Mist shinobi in the forest didn't expect was that, just as they launched their distress flare to call for aid, several other distress flares simultaneously exploded in the nearby night sky!

"This…!?"

The Hidden Mist shinobi in the forest all paled.

The simultaneous launch of distress flares clearly indicated that nearby units had encountered trouble at nearly the same time.

Kokushibo, 'Upper Rank Two,' glanced at the distress flares bursting in the night sky, letting out a cold snort. He then raised his blade and advanced toward the Hidden Mist shinobi in the forest, beginning a slaughter.

Southern Land of Grass.

A Hidden Sand shinobi army, led by the Fourth Kazekage, was advancing toward the Hidden Grass Village.

To clear the demons along the way, the Hidden Sand forces that entered the Land of Grass had split into several units: one led by Elder Chiyo, another by the elite jōnin Yūra.

Thus, the Fourth Kazekage's current force numbered roughly one hundred seventy shinobi.

At that moment, a lone figure suddenly appeared ahead of the group.

"An enemy?"

"Just one?"

"Courting death!"

The Hidden Sand shinobi didn't slow their pace.

After all, this was a force personally led by the Fourth Kazekage, composed of the Hidden Sand's elite. They paid little mind to the solitary figure ahead.

As they drew closer, the Hidden Sand shinobi realized that the one blocking their path was a young man draped in a haori, with a long blade hanging at his waist.

The group began to stir.

It didn't take long for someone to notice that the young man's eyes bore the kanji for 'Upper Rank One'!

"Upper Rank One…"

The Fourth Kazekage's expression darkened slightly.

Elder Chiyo had already provided a detailed account to the Hidden Sand's leadership about the joint forces of the five great shinobi villages battling 'Upper Rank Two' in the Infinity Castle.

'Upper Rank Two' was extraordinarily powerful—a shadow-level threat at full chakra capacity. Ordinary jōnin couldn't even protect themselves in his presence. As a result, the five great shinobi villages had classified him as 'extremely dangerous,' on the same threat level as the Akatsuki's 'A' and 'B.'

If 'Upper Rank Two' was that formidable, 'Upper Rank One' was undoubtedly even more formidable.

The Fourth Kazekage turned to the communication unit shinobi beside him and ordered, "Tell Elder Chiyo and Yūra to rendezvous with us as soon as possible!"

Northern Land of Grass.

The Hidden Stone shinobi army's temporary encampment.

"Report: The vanguard has encountered a powerful enemy and requests support!"

"Report: The rear guard has been ambushed by mysterious enemies and requests support!"

"Report: The reconnaissance team has gone completely silent!"

One piece of bad news after another poured into the Hidden Stone's command center, making the already grim expression of the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, grow even darker.

Loess, standing nearby, spoke up, "Are we being targeted?"

Ōnoki let out a cold snort. "Are you suggesting the Akatsuki thinks the Hidden Stone is an easy target?"

Loess replied, "Given the situation, pressing forward alone is too risky. Why don't we rendezvous with the other villages first?"

A communication unit shinobi immediately stepped forward to report, "Tsuchikage-sama, the closest force to us is the Hidden Cloud's shinobi army, about a day's journey away!"

"The Hidden Cloud…"

Ōnoki hesitated.

Rendezvousing with other villages' forces didn't bother him, but proactively joining up with the Hidden Cloud felt like a blow to his pride.

Whoosh!

At that moment, a bloodied Hidden Cloud communication unit shinobi, supported by Hidden Stone shinobi, entered the temporary command center.

Ōnoki immediately stood. "What's going on?"

The Hidden Cloud shinobi, enduring their injuries, said, "Tsuchikage-sama, we've been attacked by a large group of mysterious warriors. Raikage-sama hopes to rendezvous with your forces and advance together toward the Hidden Grass Village!"

Ōnoki, who had been hesitant moments before, decisively waved his hand. "Since the Raikage has requested our aid, the Hidden Stone will not stand by and let them perish! All forces, move out to rescue the Hidden Cloud!"

The Hidden Cloud communication shinobi blinked in confusion, muttering, "Did I not make myself clear? Raikage-sama only requested a rendezvous, not a rescue…"