UCHIHA KING OF THE SOULS

Onoki's Big Gamble

The Iwagakure elders pondered in silence before finally nodding.

The last time they had lured an enemy deep into their stronghold, they successfully orchestrated the death of the Third Raikage. Though the cost had been steep, it was not without its rewards.

Back then, the Third Raikage had single-handedly held off ten thousand Iwagakure shinobi, cutting them down relentlessly before his stamina finally gave out. Yet, before that final stand, Kumogakure forces had ravaged their ranks, leaving a lasting scar on Iwagakure's military strength.

"Sunagakure was already in turmoil after the mysterious disappearance of the Third Kazekage. Their internal strife weakened them, yet they still launched an assault on Konoha, seeking an advantage in the chaos. The result? Another major loss for them."

"This time, Konoha has suffered casualties. Do they still have the strength to provoke us?"

"If concerns remain, we could dispatch an envoy to Kirigakure."

"Our conflicts with Kirigakure are minimal, whereas tensions between Sunagakure and Kirigakure persist over contested regions like the Land of Tea. There is little room for collaboration between them."

"If so, we can reallocate troops currently watching Sunagakure."

"If we push our forces to the limit, we can amass an army of a thousand shinobi."

"I know this is a gamble."

"If we win, Iwagakure's influence will surge, securing our place in history."

"If we lose, we will be the first village forced to retreat from the Third Great Ninja War, gaining nothing for our efforts."

"I've made my decision. What about you?"

Onoki hovered above them, his small stature defying the immense presence he exuded. His sharp eyes scanned the room, filled with unwavering resolve.

"Bet!"

"Agreed!"

"Fight!"

The elders hesitated briefly before nodding one by one, their expressions hardened with conviction.

"Good."

"If we are to open a new front, we need a reliable supply route."

"Our advance into the Land of Fire will stretch our forces thin. Logistics will determine the success or failure of this strategy."

Onoki floated toward the massive war map pinned to the wall. With a flick of his wrist, his fingertips extended into a slender stone pointer, tapping a specific location.

The elders leaned in. The name was unmistakable—Kannabi Bridge.

Their eyes traced the surrounding terrain. A crucial passage through the Land of Grass, it was the lifeline connecting Konoha's supply network. If cut off, Konoha's reinforcements would be crippled.

"This bridge is the key," one elder muttered.

Onoki nodded. "Let's finalize the plan."

As discussions intensified, a question lingered—could the destruction of a single bridge truly decide the war?

The answer was clear: yes.

Though the river beneath Kannabi Bridge was not particularly wide, its current was swift and unforgiving. Not every ninja could traverse water; chakra control had to be precise. The faster the current, the greater the difficulty.

Even Sasuke Uchiha, a prodigy trained under Kakashi Hatake and top of his class at the Academy, had struggled to master walking on still water. The vast majority of genin lacked such refined control.

Unlike Konoha's elite squads, most shinobi in the war were raw recruits, hastily trained due to wartime conscription. Iwagakure, in particular, favored mass deployment, sending thousands of soldiers into battle at a time. Many of these shinobi relied on brute force over finesse.

For such forces, treading on water was nearly impossible. If Kannabi Bridge were destroyed, the average genin would be left stranded, unable to advance.

Could they simply rebuild the bridge with Earth Release?

Again, the answer was no.

During the original battle at Kannabi Bridge, three Iwagakure jōnin wielding Earth Release techniques were stationed there. Their abilities, though formidable, were far from omnipotent. Constructing a stable bridge across a fast-flowing river required immense chakra reserves and near-flawless control. Even among jōnin, few could meet such demands.

Unlike Earth Release, which relied on available terrain, Wood Release—wielded by the likes of Yamato—was more suited for rapid construction. A shinobi like Kitsuchi, Onoki's own son, might have possessed the raw power to forge a path, but at this stage of the war, he had yet to reach such heights.

As for Onoki himself? A Kage could not afford to personally oversee the reconstruction of a single bridge. His role was to shape the battlefield, not to mend its obstacles.

This was why Kannabi Bridge could not be ignored.

---

Meanwhile, in the Uchiha Clan Compound

Days passed, and Uchiha Gen had yet to receive new orders. For now, he remained within the clan, dedicating himself to training.

As a rising star within the Uchiha, he had no shortage of jutsu at his disposal.

At the start of the war, the Uchiha Patriarch had declared that all clan techniques would be made available to its members—provided they had the skill to learn them.

Recognized as a special jōnin by Uchiha Yashiro, Gen had clearance to access B-rank ninjutsu.

Though renowned for their Fire Release, the Uchiha also possessed a considerable archive of Wind, Earth, Lightning, and Water Release techniques.

If there was ever a time to exploit this opportunity, it was now. Once the war ended, jutsu would once again be restricted, requiring service to the clan for access.

Gen had no intention of letting this chance slip by.

His rapid progress astounded Uchiha Yashiro.

"Learning a B-rank Fire Release and a B-rank Genjutsu in a single day?"

It seemed impossible.

Skeptical at first, Yashiro personally observed Gen's performance. After witnessing it firsthand, he had no choice but to believe it.

Though Gen's Fire Release ability was impressive, the real reason behind his rapid growth lay in his proficiency with Genjutsu.

Perhaps it was due to his unique soul composition, forged across multiple lifetimes, but for him, mastering Genjutsu was as effortless as breathing.

His Fire Release, while strong, was further enhanced by a hidden advantage—his Zhurong influence, allowing him to manipulate flames beyond his base proficiency. By subtly raising temperature, expanding range, and refining control, he created the illusion of greater mastery.

With Yashiro's authorization, Gen devoured every Fire, Wind, and Earth technique available to him, committing them to memory for future study.

This was just the beginning.

---

A new era of war was on the horizon.

And as Iwagakure prepared to seize Kannabi Bridge, the tides of history were about to shift.