Naruto: Uchiha Survivor Forced to Save the Shinobi World

As Uchiha Shinji had predicted, without any extra effort on his part, the Akatsuki and the demons clashed fiercely across the vast expanse of the Grass Country.

The Akatsuki aimed to capture one or two key 'Upper Rank' demons, pry open their mouths, and take down the entire group in one fell swoop.

Meanwhile, the demons, striking from all directions, were hunting for traces of the Akatsuki's leader, preparing for a final decapitation strike.

Though the fierce battles had already erupted across the board, both sides were secretly brewing even deadlier moves. The side that could sustain its apparent strength longer would be able to conceal its killing blow more effectively!

Boom boom boom.

Amid a relentless series of explosions, the ground trembled ceaselessly, and the wind seemed to wail in mourning.

Whoosh!

At that moment, a figure burst out from the smoke and dust of the explosions, leaping into the air with a few agile maneuvers, charging toward a clay bird soaring above. "Moon Breathing, Fifth Form: Moon Spirit Calamitous Eddy!"

In an instant, countless cold, moonlight-like sword slashes surged forth, assaulting the clay bird.

"!?"

Deidara and Sasori, perched atop the clay bird, were both caught off guard, leaping off in opposite directions to evade.

Barely dodging the slashes, Deidara glanced back at his clay bird, now sliced into several pieces by the sword slashes. A smirk curled his lips as he formed a single hand seal. "Hmph!"

Boom boom boom!

The severed pieces of the clay bird detonated one by one, the explosions swallowing 'Upper Rank Two,' who had just lunged toward them.

Landing on the ground, Deidara boasted, "Sasori, my man, I've taken care of him!"

"Don't get cocky."

Before Sasori could finish, his 'Hiruko' form's expression shifted. He swiftly swung his tail, shooting out several chakra threads from its tip that latched onto Deidara, yanking him into the air.

Almost simultaneously, a figure burst from the smoke, swinging a sword at the spot where Deidara had just stood. Had Sasori been a second slower, Deidara might have been decapitated.

Deidara, pulled airborne by Sasori's chakra threads, snapped out of his daze. His expression turned serious as he thanked Sasori. "Sasori, my man, thanks!"

Sasori snapped, "Idiot, this guy's not like those weaklings we've faced before!"

Deidara turned his gaze to their opponent, his eyes lingering on the three pairs of eyes on the figure's face and the kanji for 'Upper Rank Two' etched within them.

Despite being bombarded multiple times by Deidara's clay bombs, 'Upper Rank Two' Kokushibo appeared largely unscathed, save for some tears in his haori.

As Deidara and Sasori observed Kokushibo, he was also studying them. Noticing their red-cloud cloaks, he spoke slowly, "The Akatsuki, huh? You've finally shown yourselves."

Sasori, in his raspy voice, asked, "You've been looking for us?"

Kokushibo replied deliberately, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am 'Upper Rank Two,' Kokushibo, the one who will kill you."

"Tch!"

Deidara spat in disdain.

Sasori said, "Deidara, don't blow him to smithereens. I want to turn him into a puppet and add him to my collection!"

With that, the two sides clashed fiercely.

In the distance, countless paper scraps gathered in the air, coalescing into the form of Konan.

Clearly, this was one of Konan's paper clones. Due to her distrust of Zetsu, she had taken on the role of central coordination herself.

After closely observing the distant battle, Konan's paper clone dissolved back into fluttering paper scraps, vanishing silently.

On a plain, clang!

With a deafening clash, Hoshigaki Kisame was sent flying, crashing heavily into the ground.

It took several seconds for his Decapitating Carving Knife to tumble down and embed itself into the earth, emitting a faint buzz.

Upon closer inspection, the blade of the Decapitating Carving Knife was riddled with cracks, as if it had endured countless brutal battles.

On the other side, Itachi leapt back, the three-tomoe Sharingan in his eyes instantly shifting into the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Though he never underestimated his enemies, after engaging, he realized he had still underestimated the strength of this 'Upper Rank One.'

The opponent seemed incapable of ninjutsu, but their taijutsu and swordsmanship were unparalleled in Itachi's experience.

Moreover, Itachi faintly sensed that the enemy could see through his body and predict his movements, almost as if they possessed the Byakugan.

No!

He quickly dismissed that thought.

From Kisame's earlier clash with the opponent, it was clear they possessed an insight ability akin to the Sharingan, combined with the Byakugan's penetrative vision.

"It seems I'll have to expend some dojutsu power to deal with him."

Itachi made his decision swiftly.

Swish swish swish.

At that moment, a large contingent of Hidden Sand forces arrived at the battlefield, led by none other than the Fourth Kazekage himself.

Having failed to defeat the demonized Tanjiro, 'Upper Rank One,' in their previous battle, the Fourth Kazekage had temporarily retreated. Now, having regrouped with Chiyo and Yūra's units, he had returned with full force.

"Why are the Akatsuki here?"

"They're fighting, aren't they?"

"What's going on? Aren't they supposed to be allies?"

Seeing Itachi and Kisame battling the demonized Tanjiro, 'Upper Rank One,' the Hidden Sand forces, including the Fourth Kazekage, were utterly baffled.

Chiyo and Yūra surveyed the battlefield.

The sight of dozens of Hidden Sand shinobi corpses strewn across the ground, along with shattered puppet fragments scattered everywhere, shocked them both.

The force that had previously faced 'Upper Rank One' was an elite unit personally led by the Fourth Kazekage. Yet, not only had they failed to defeat this 'Upper Rank One,' they had suffered such heavy losses at the hands of a single opponent. It was a chilling realization.

At that moment, a Hidden Sand shinobi asked, "Lord Kazekage, what do we do now?"

The Fourth Kazekage replied, "It seems our earlier analysis was wrong. The 'Upper Ranks' and the Akatsuki are clearly not allies!"

Chiyo added, "We should hold back for now and let them tear each other apart."

The Fourth Kazekage nodded.

These neither-human-nor-demon 'Upper Ranks' were a threat he needed to deal with, and the Akatsuki was no different. For now, the best strategy was to sit back and watch the tigers fight.

In the distance, unnoticed in a grove of trees, countless paper scraps gathered, forming Konan's likeness once more.

Undoubtedly, this was another of Konan's paper clones.

After observing the battle from afar, Konan's paper clone refrained from intervening and instead dissolved back into a flurry of paper scraps, flying off silently.

Not long after, paper scraps from all directions converged in an unremarkable cave, coalescing into a complete Konan.

Inside the cave, Nagato sat quietly in his wooden chair, his expression utterly impassive.