THE EVIL OF UCHIHA BYAKUYA

"Boom boom boom…"

"Attack! Drive back the Sand shinobi!"

"Show them the might of the Uchiha clan!"

"Push forward, all together!"

Under the command of Uchiha Byakuya, the Uchiha clan launched a fierce offensive against the Sand shinobi. Though Sunagakure had laid an ambush in advance, it proved ineffective.

With his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, Byakuya's vision pierced through the terrain—no ambush could remain hidden. Every trap and hiding spot was effortlessly exposed under his gaze. The Sand shinobi were outmatched and quickly dispatched before they could launch a proper counterattack.

Even Ino, Shikamaru, and Chōji, who had initially held doubts, watched in stunned silence as the Uchiha cut through their enemies.

"This is Uchiha Byakuya's power…?"

"So this is what it means to be part of the Uchiha clan…"

"No wonder he doesn't fear ambushes. He's too strong…"

At first, they had thought Byakuya's decision to follow the most obvious route was reckless—an amateur mistake in battlefield strategy. But now they understood: it wasn't ignorance. It was confidence. He simply didn't consider the Sand shinobi a threat worth altering course for.

Each of Byakuya's strikes was lethal. One Sand shinobi, wielding a massive axe, charged at him in desperation.

"Die!" the enemy roared.

Byakuya's eyes gleamed. In an instant, the Sand shinobi froze mid-attack, caught in a powerful genjutsu. Before he could blink, a kunai had pierced his throat. The ninja collapsed, blood pouring from his neck.

Byakuya didn't pause. He turned and rushed toward the next group, slicing through their lines like a reaper. He was a demon on the battlefield, and the sight of his slaughter only fueled the Uchiha warriors behind him.

"Retreat!"

"They're too strong!"

"Someone inform Lady Chiyo of this!"

The Sand shinobi scattered. Their formation broke, and their morale shattered under the merciless Uchiha assault.

"We did it!"

"These Sand ninja were nothing!"

"With Lord Byakuya leading us, we can't lose!"

"Long live Lord Byakuya!"

The Uchiha forces roared in victory.

Byakuya stood atop a ridge, surveying the battlefield as the survivors regrouped. He turned to Nara Shikaku, who had been assigned by the Hokage to observe the operation.

"Shikaku. What's our position?"

Though Shikaku was Hiruzen's man, he was a realist. He opened a scroll and began reviewing the map.

"Based on our current speed and direction," he said, "we've just crossed into the border region of the Land of Fire. If we continue marching tomorrow, we'll reach the forward camp of the Sand by dusk."

Byakuya nodded. "Good. Let everyone rest here tonight. Tomorrow, we strike the Sand camp."

"Understood, Lord Byakuya!" the Uchiha responded in unison. There was no more hesitation—Byakuya had earned their absolute trust.

Tsunade approached him, arms crossed, golden hair fluttering slightly in the evening breeze.

"Byakuya... I underestimated you," she admitted. "Tell me—how strong are you, really?"

Byakuya gave a slight smile. "If I had to compare, I'd say... I'm on the level of Uchiha Madara."

Tsunade's expression shifted dramatically when she heard Byakuya claim he had power equal to Uchiha Madara.

"…You're serious?"

"I don't joke about this kind of thing," Byakuya said calmly, locking eyes with her. "If your grandfather, Hashirama Senju, were still alive, I'd challenge him right now."

Tsunade was stunned. In the history of the ninja world, only a few had ever dared to say such a thing about the First Hokage, the man known as the God of Shinobi. And yet, Byakuya stood before her, utterly confident.

Madara Uchiha had once been revered as the most powerful member of the Uchiha clan—feared even by the other Great Nations. His strength came not only from his mastery of ninjutsu and taijutsu, but most of all from the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, which granted him enhanced perception, powerful genjutsu, and access to Susanoo.

Now, Byakuya bore the same eyes—Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan—and more. In terms of raw visual prowess and battlefield control, he believed himself equal to the legendary Uchiha.

Meanwhile, in the Sand Village's forward encampment...

The surviving Sand Shinobi who fled the failed ambush returned and immediately reported to the acting commander—Elder Chiyo.

"What did you say!?" Chiyo's expression darkened. "Your ambush failed completely?"

The report left no room for doubt. "Yes, Elder. We lost most of our unit. The Konoha forces saw through every trap as if they knew our positions in advance. We couldn't touch them."

Chiyo's eyes narrowed in disbelief. The operation had been carefully planned. Their goal: to gain control of a resource-rich stretch of the Fire Country. They had intercepted information on Konoha's movements and deployed an ambush along the projected route. It should have at least weakened the Konoha squad, if not eliminated them outright.

Yet not only had the Konoha ninjas countered every trap—they had launched a brutal counterattack. And according to the survivors, one Uchiha had done most of the damage alone.

"I see. You've done well to return alive. Go rest," Chiyo said, dismissing the scout with a wave of her hand.

She turned to the red-haired man beside her. "Rasa. What's your assessment?"

Rasa—already a highly respected shinobi within Sunagakure—was a master of the Gold Dust Technique and a strong contender to become the next Kazekage.

"The enemy squad is made up of Uchiha," Rasa replied. "It's not surprising our ambush failed. The Sharingan grants them exceptional perception and reaction time. If one of them has the Mangekyō, they could see through nearly any deception."

"Then in tomorrow's battle, we'll need to account for that," Chiyo said grimly. "I've also heard… a prodigy has emerged among them."

Rasa nodded. "Yes. Uchiha Byakuya."

Chiyo's expression hardened. "If necessary… we'll deploy Bunpuku."

Rasa raised an eyebrow. Bunpuku was an old monk from the Land of Wind who had once been the jinchūriki of Shukaku. He was rarely mentioned—let alone called upon.

"Is it that serious?"

"If that Uchiha's power really rivals Madara's… we may not have a choice."

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