THE EVIL OF UCHIHA BYAKUYA

Sitting atop the head of the colossal Susanoo, Byakuya looked down at the entire Sand Village with an indifferent gaze.

"Come to think of it… this might be a great honor for your village."

He raised his hand slowly, voice calm but filled with overwhelming dominance.

"This is the first time I'm using this level of power."

"I'll let Sunagakure witness my true strength."

As his words echoed across the battlefield, Susanoo's massive hand gripped the hilt of its sword. The earth trembled as the blade was slowly unsheathed.

"Whoosh—BOOM!!"

The moment the blade left its scabbard, a torrent of terrifying sword energy erupted. The shockwave alone shattered the nearby terrain. In an instant, a massive ravine split through the heart of the Sand Village, tearing buildings and defensive structures in half.

But that wasn't all.

The sword energy surged beyond the village walls, slicing through the desert. A distant mountain crumbled as if made of sand, reduced to rubble by the sheer force of the slash. Dust and debris erupted like a sandstorm, spreading destruction in all directions.

Rasa and Chiyo were both thrown backward by the resulting shockwave, skidding dozens of meters before crashing into the sand.

When they looked up, the mountain they once used as a landmark… was gone.

"W-What… what kind of power is this?" Rasa muttered, pale with disbelief.

"A single swing… erased a mountain…" Chiyo murmured, voice trembling.

"Can we… even fight against such a thing?"

All around them, Sand Ninjas were frozen in place. The once confident war cries had vanished. Even the hardened veterans had gone silent, their minds unable to process the level of destruction they had just witnessed.

"Elder Chiyo… what should we do now?"

"Can we really deal with this monster?"

Rasa's question was the same that filled the hearts of every ninja present.

Chiyo's eyes quivered under the burden of leadership. She was the eldest, the most experienced, yet faced with Byakuya's overwhelming strength, all her tactics and experience were useless.

After a long silence, her voice came out bitterly firm.

"…We abandon the village."

"What!?"

Shock rippled through the crowd like a tidal wave.

"Abandon Sunagakure!?"

"This is our home! How could we just leave it!?"

"Elder Chiyo… there must be another way!"

But Chiyo shook her head slowly.

"We don't have a choice. If we stay, we die. All of us."

"If we retreat, we live. And if we live, we can rebuild. We can fight another day."

Though her words were filled with pain, they also carried conviction. She had lived through many wars. And she knew when survival outweighed pride.

The Sand Ninjas fell into a heavy silence, weighing honor against logic. One by one, they began to nod.

"I agree… We retreat."

"She's right. We can't win like this…"

"Everyone, scatter and escape!"

Led by Rasa, the Sand Ninjas dispersed into the desert—defeated but alive.

However, one figure remained behind.

Pakura.

Standing tall amidst the crumbling ruins, her Scorch Release chakra flaring faintly, she watched the fleeing forces.

"Pakura! What are you doing!? Why aren't you running?" someone shouted.

"If you stay now, there won't be another chance!"

Chiyo, who had also been preparing to abandon the Sand Village and retreat, suddenly noticed Pakura standing still, showing no signs of leaving. She frowned in confusion.

"Pakura, what are you doing? Retreat with us!"

But Pakura stood firm, her eyes resolute.

"Elder Chiyo, please go ahead!"

"My ninja way is to protect the Sand Village to the very end. I will not abandon my village, even if it costs me my life."

"I'll stay and cover your retreat."

Chiyo was taken aback. Her expression softened, and for a moment, a rare trace of pride flickered in her eyes.

"Pakura… You…"

She clenched her fist, then turned.

"Very well… I'll leave the Sand Village in your hands."

With that, Chiyo quickly retreated with the other Sand Shinobi.

High above, standing atop the colossal Susanoo, Byakuya looked down at the Sand Village in silence.

The Sand Shinobi weren't advancing. They were scattering.

"What are they doing?" he muttered, narrowing his eyes.

"They're… running? Are they abandoning their own village?"

The very idea made Byakuya frown.

One of the Five Great Shinobi Nations… running?

"So this is the will of the Sand Village?"

A smirk tugged at his lips.

"But do you really think you can escape me?"

Byakuya immediately controlled his Susanoo, the massive warrior stepping forward like a god of destruction. Just as it moved, a sudden explosion erupted against its armor.

"Scorch Release: Chain Fireballs!"

Several blazing orbs of compressed heat chakra collided with Susanoo's chest, detonating in violent succession. A cloud of dust and flame erupted—yet the Susanoo remained unmoved.

"Tch... that wasn't bad," Byakuya muttered, eyes turning toward the attacker.

Then he spotted her.

"You… Scorch Release user… Pakura?"

His eyes narrowed with mild surprise.

"You didn't run."

Pakura stood tall, flames swirling around her.

"I am a kunoichi of Sunagakure. My duty is to protect this village—until the end."

Byakuya chuckled darkly.

"Protect? While your comrades flee like insects? That's what you call protection?"

Pakura's hands clenched in fury.

"Shut up! You're nothing but an invader—you have no right to judge the Sand!"

"Invader?" Byakuya sneered.

"How ironic. It was your village that launched the first attack… started this war…"

He looked down at her, Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan spinning ominously.

"Don't speak of honor when your hands are just as bloody."

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