Chiyo's madness and the resistance of the Sand Ninja finally came to an end with the return of Uchiha Shin.
The moment news of Uchiha Shin's arrival at the front-line camp spread, Chiyo understood that everything had become irreversible.
Earlier, she had ventured to the battlefield to confirm the rumors—rumors that spoke of Uchiha Shin single-handedly massacring thousands of Sand Ninja with a single stroke of his Thunder Release.
The scorched earth, the lingering scent of burnt flesh, and the suffocating air of death haunted her senses.
A few days ago, the supply of clay puppets had run out, forcing the Sand Ninja to retreat time and time again.
Knowing that Sunagakure could no longer match Konoha's might, Chiyo had no choice but to organize a surrender.
One of her conditions for surrender was to learn the truth about the disappearance of the Third Kazekage, her brother Ebizo, and numerous high-ranking officials and Sand Ninja who had vanished without a trace.
However, when it came to the secrets of the Rōran Dragon Vein, Chiyo had no intention of revealing anything.
After hearing her terms, Hatake Sakumo, as the commander of the front line, turned to Uchiha Shin for answers.
To be honest, he himself was curious about what Shin had done behind enemy lines.
"What kind of chaos did you unleash to make an entire village crumble?"
The Third Kazekage, Ebizo… so many prominent figures missing. They're dead, aren't they?"
In response to Sakumo's curiosity, Uchiha Shin simply smiled.
"I merely went to their rear and destroyed their puppet production line. I have no idea about anything else.
That being said, Commander Hatake, I can tell you what I saw in the desert."
Seeing that Uchiha Shin was as unyielding as ever, Hatake Sakumo knew he wouldn't get anything more out of him. If the Third Hokage wanted to investigate further, he could do it himself. Sakumo wasn't about to pick a fight with a war hero.
Because in this battle, Uchiha Shin was the undisputed legend.
And Sakumo knew that as a commander, even he paled in comparison.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Shin's gaze fell upon the members of the Uchiha Toyama faction within the camp.
"The war with Sunagakure is over. All that remains are skirmishes with Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and those lurking in the shadows.
The real war won't start until the unresolved conflicts of the Third Shinobi War erupt fully.
Right now, Konoha stands at its strongest, and few would dare challenge it.
It's time for the Uchiha clan to choose a leader. It's time to deal with Toyama, Fugaku, and the rest."
As Shin mused over this, a cold determination settled within him.
Among the Uchiha, according to his information, there were only two individuals besides himself who possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan.
One was Uchiha Toyama. The other was Shinji's grandfather, a relic of the First Great Ninja War.
Both had unlocked the Mangekyō through the carnage of war, experiencing life and death firsthand.
Whether this war had led others in the clan to awaken their own Mangekyō remained uncertain.
One thing, however, was undeniable—
After this war, despite the heavy casualties suffered by the Uchiha clan, the number of newly awakened Sharingan users would surge.
And when that happened, the Uchiha would reach their peak.
Shin had to seize this moment.
A powerful Uchiha clan in his hands would be his greatest asset.
The members of Toyama's faction noticed Shin's piercing gaze, and an unbearable weight pressed against their chests.
Especially Uchiha Fugaku—
His body trembled involuntarily, fear coursing through him as he stared at the monstrous figure that was Uchiha Shin.
Uchiha Toyama, seeing his son's disgraceful state, burned with fury.
And yet, their weakness only fueled the admiration of the Uchiha doves, who had already begun to revere Uchiha Shin.
Following the strong—that instinct was carved into their very blood.
Adding to this, news had just arrived that the Uchiha clan would soon be relocating back to Konoha's center.
For the Uchiha, this was more than just a move. It was the erasure of their past humiliation.
And the credit for this shift was unanimously given to Uchiha Shin.
As for Toyama and Fugaku?
Apart from a small number of loyalists, the rest of the clan had already begun to entertain new thoughts.
Uchiha Shin no longer paid them any attention.
They were dead men walking.
Even if Toyama possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan—even if he could manifest the Susanoo—he would never surpass the level of an ordinary Kage.
And for Shin, such an existence was hardly worth his time.
The only figures he truly considered a threat were Uchiha Madara—who still lurked in the shadows, observing the world—and the enigmatic Sage of Six Paths.
But even then, Shin did not fear them.
His mastery of Magnet Release and the continuous evolution of his power meant that he was beyond restraint.
If Uchiha Madara ever turned his gaze toward him, Shin would ensure that he received an unexpected "surprise."
In everyone's eyes, Uchiha Shin had always been a prodigious user of Thunder Release.
But there were many secrets he had yet to reveal.
As for how to deal with the Sage of Six Paths? Shin had no answer. The only path was to keep growing stronger.
At that very moment, Uchiha Madara himself was discussing Uchiha Shin with White Zetsu.
In a dark, cavernous hideout, the legendary Uchiha sat cross-legged in silence.
His aged face bore a pair of three-tomoe Sharingan, gleaming with a quiet intensity.
After transplanting his Rinnegan to Nagato and setting his "Eye of the Moon" plan into motion, he had White Zetsu procure several Sharingan from fallen Uchiha.
After all, no one would question the disappearance of a few Uchiha in wartime.
Like a living mass of clay, White Zetsu slithered out from the stone wall, grinning as he addressed his master.
"Madara-sama, the war between Konoha and Sunagakure has ended.
As you predicted, the arrival of Uchiha Shin was the decisive factor.
I must say, defeating Hanzō of the Salamander wasn't just luck. Are you considering making him your successor?"
Madara remained unfazed, his gaze never shifting.
Ever since Shin's victory over Hanzō and his meteoric rise to fame, Madara had been watching.
"Twelve years old... and already this close to Hashirama's descendant.
Stronger than I was at that age...
Has he awakened the Mangekyō?"
Madara murmured to himself before posing the question aloud.
White Zetsu pondered for a moment before shaking his head.
"No reports indicate that Uchiha Shin has awakened the Mangekyō. As far as we know, he still wields only the three-tomoe Sharingan."
Madara remained silent for a while.
His lifespan was dwindling, but he still had time to wait.
There was no need for haste.
At last, he spoke. "Continue monitoring Uchiha Shin. Observe his next move."
"Understood, Madara-sama."
Without hesitation, White Zetsu melted into the ground, vanishing into the shadows, heading straight for Konoha's camp.
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