Naruto:The System's Shadow

As the sun set, Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Kaito gathered all the members of their generation in the main hall. They were joined by the clan's only remaining Special Jonin and three Chunin.

At the same time, Uchiha Madara ordered all the women in the compound to lock themselves inside their homes. They weren't to come out, no matter what they heard. Finally, he dispatched two Genin, one to catch up with the Third Elder and the other to the battlefield, to inform them of the situation in the compound.

"Young Clan Head, is the information you received accurate?" Uchiha Hayate, the clan's only remaining Special Jonin, asked, with a glimmer of hope.

Uchiha Madara nodded seriously. "The information came from Kaito. It's definitely accurate. Prepare to fight for your life."

Uchiha Hayate lost the last shred of hope and tightened his grip on the sword on his back, silently waiting for nightfall. He anticipated a bloody battle.

In the main hall, the eighty-seven children of Madara and Kaito's generation, all Genin between the ages of five and ten, were gathered. Only Uchiha Izuna had reached the Chunin level.

Of course, the Uchiha clan had far more members of the younger generation than that, but Madara had those who hadn't reached the Genin level hide, knowing they would only be a hindrance.

The group of Genin children chattered amongst themselves, not showing much concern. Instead, they seemed excited. As the elite of the new generation, they had long yearned to fight enemies as adults, to make a name for themselves and show off their prowess.

Most of them hadn't seen blood yet and didn't understand the cruelty of this world. In their minds, tonight's enemies were no different from the opponents they faced in training. They didn't understand the difference.

"A bunch of idiots," Kaito thought.

Kaito wasn't in the hall. He was sitting on the roof, watching the deepening night, his expression serious.

Unlike the children who had been protected in the clan, he had the mind of an adult and understood the cruelty of the Naruto world. He clearly remembered a line from the original series that described the Warring States period: "The average lifespan in this era was less than thirty years."

A simple line, filled with blood.

He didn't need to look far. The Chunin he had taken care of today was quite strong. The reason he had lost so thoroughly was mostly because every step he took had been calculated by Kaito. Combined with the power of the Sharingan's genjutsu, he was able to take him down quickly. If it had been a straight-up fight, Kaito would have won, but it wouldn't have been so easy.

Listening to the noise from the main hall, a faint smile touched Kaito's lips. Madara was too young. He only considered the children's strength, not their age. He was sure that if these kids faced ten Chunin veterans, the mere bloodlust would scare them witless. Not to mention the myriad of tricks they might use.

"This battle won't be easy. There will be casualties," Kaito said to himself, lying down on the roof.

It wasn't his concern. He wasn't that attached to the Uchiha clan. His main reason for staying and fighting was that even if they lost, he was confident he could escape safely with his current strength. As long as he didn't foolishly choose to fight head-on, it would be hard for him to get into trouble.

"Speaking of which, wasn't there a sneak attack in the original story? Maybe the reason Madara said that all his brothers except Izuna died was because of tonight."

The more Kaito thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Madara was already eight years old. At the latest, he would meet Hashirama next year. But until now, all his brothers, including him, were still alive and kicking. That didn't fit the original story.

Idly thinking about these things, Kaito wasn't too concerned. With his current strength, even if he couldn't defeat a Jonin, he could leave easily. As long as he didn't choose to fight to the death, nothing would happen.

With the night wind blowing, Kaito felt a sense of peace. He closed his eyes, conserving his energy. He wasn't too worried about being attacked by the Hyuga ninjas right now. There was a certain rhythm to the life of a ninja, after all. It was only the early part of the night, when people's spirits were at their best. Only an idiot would launch an attack now.

Generally, ninjas would launch assassinations around 2 a.m., the time when people were at their most exhausted.

As time passed, it was almost 1 a.m. Kaito opened his eyes on time. After resting, his spirit was at its peak.

The new generation of the Uchiha clan gathered in the main hall didn't have the same energy. After chatting for the first half of the night, they were now drowsy. It was more accurate to call them a group of children with the strength of Genin.

Uchiha Izuna rubbed his sleepy eyes, went to Madara, and whispered, "Big Brother, it's already 1 a.m. and there hasn't been any sign of them. Maybe Kaito's information was wrong."

Uchiha Madara, full of energy, looked at him lovingly and said, "Don't let your guard down. Now is the most dangerous time. Remember, if we fight, I won't be able to protect you. Protect yourself."

As they spoke, Kaito walked in from the door, came to Uchiha Madara, and simply said, "They're here!"

Uchiha Madara's eyes lit up, and his whole body was ignited with fighting spirit. He grabbed the katana he had placed to the side, stood up, and said, "The enemy is here. All Uchiha clan members, come with me to face the enemy!"

The drowsy children suddenly perked up and rushed towards the main hall door. Madara, Kaito, and Izuna lagged behind.

"Kaito, this battle depends on the two of us. Give it your all," Uchiha Madara said, his hand holding the katana trembling slightly, not from fear, but from excitement.

"Don't worry. I'll definitely end this in ten minutes," Kaito replied seriously, glancing at his excited right hand and taking a step away from him.

So, Uchiha Madara was a battle maniac. He hadn't noticed that before. He should stay away from him. This kind of guy was likely to cause collateral damage.

A few steps later, they had left the main hall. The three of them stood at the front, looked up, and saw thirteen figures leaping quickly across the rooftops under the moonlight. The fastest one was just a blur.

Uchiha Madara narrowed his eyes. His aura suddenly changed, becoming solemn and severe. He flicked the katana with his thumb, and it reflected a chilling light in the moonlight.

Kaito remained calm on the surface, but inside he was shocked. This kind of aura… Madara had definitely killed someone before. When had that happened?