THE UCHIHA ASCENSION

Time passed in this manner. Just as Sarutobi Shuo had recovered from his injuries and the members of Team Three had gathered again for training, preparing to resume their missions, a sudden piece of news shook the entire village.

The Land of Rain had waged war against the Land of Iron!

Rather than directly provoking a major nation like the Land of Fire, the Land of Rain had chosen to invade the Land of Iron instead.

Despite lacking shinobi, the Land of Iron had managed to survive for centuries due to its formidable military strength. Unlike other countries, which relied on shinobi and hidden villages, the Land of Iron's main combat force was comprised of samurai—warriors who followed their own unique path of cultivation.

Most samurai dedicated themselves to the mastery of swordsmanship. Some, like the legendary Mifune, were said to be as powerful as Kage-level shinobi. Furthermore, samurai specialized in close-quarters combat, which allowed them to counter shinobi effectively. The inability of most shinobi to weave hand seals quickly in close combat meant that, in a direct melee confrontation, a skilled samurai had the advantage.

By choosing to attack the Land of Iron, the Land of Rain had two objectives. First, it wanted to test the reactions of the three major nations. Second, it aimed to seize control of the Land of Iron's vast mineral resources and its thriving weapons industry. Over 30% of the ninja world's weapons were forged in the Land of Iron.

Securing the Land of Iron meant gaining a steady supply of weapons and armor, and the Land of Rain had struck swiftly.

The news had already been circulating for a day. Although Uchiha Kiyo lacked access to high-level intelligence, his two teammates—one being a young master of the Senju clan and the other the Hokage's nephew—had access to timely and detailed information.

"It's said that when the samurai of the Land of Iron heard of Hanzo's attack, most of them retreated," Sarutobi Shuo recounted. "Only three warriors stood their ground, facing Hanzo of the Salamander in battle. Their leader, Mifune, personally challenged Hanzo but was ultimately defeated. He was gravely injured, but instead of executing him, Hanzo spared his life and even provided the antidote to his poison."

As he spoke, Sarutobi Shuo's tone carried a hint of admiration. Mifune's spirit of sacrifice had left a deep impression on him.

Kiyo listened intently to Sarutobi's account. While he lacked direct intelligence sources, he had a strong understanding of the overarching political landscape.

"In the end, the Land of Iron fell to the Land of Rain," Sarutobi Shuo concluded.

"So the Land of Rain is preparing for a full-scale war?" Kiyo mused. "With control over the Land of Iron's resources, they now have the supplies needed for prolonged conflict."

Sarutobi Shuo's eyes widened at Kiyo's deduction. It made sense. The Land of Iron was a crucial supplier of weapons, even for Konoha. Yet, until now, he hadn't considered that angle.

"What?!" Nawaki exclaimed. "Konoha relies on the Land of Iron for ninja tools! What are we going to do now?"

"It's not as bad as you think," Kiyo replied calmly. "The Land of Iron has been defeated, not destroyed. The Land of Rain is still separated from us by the Land of Grass and the Land of Taki. At most, the Land of Iron will be forced into a supply agreement. We can still purchase ninja tools from them."

"Oh, I see," Nawaki sighed in relief, patting his chest dramatically.

"I wonder how the village will respond…"

"That's not for us to decide," Kiyo said. "Our job is to follow orders. More importantly, we should focus on training. The stronger we are, the better our chances of surviving if war comes."

"Kiyo's right," Sarutobi Shuo agreed. "I heard from my uncle—er, Hokage-sama—that war is brutal. Even elite jōnin can die if they aren't careful."

"Then we should stop accepting missions for now and focus on training. Of course, if the village assigns us one, we'll carry it out," Nawaki suggested.

Kiyo nodded in agreement. Their team was special. With a Senju heir and the Hokage's nephew, Konoha wouldn't recklessly send them on dangerous missions. They would likely be held back until the situation became clearer.

For Kiyo, this was a golden opportunity.

"War…" he murmured. "After all these years in the ninja world, I'm finally about to experience it firsthand."

His feelings on war were complicated. It was a brutal, unforgiving force. A single mistake could mean death. But war also created opportunities—opportunities to rise in power, to make a name for oneself. Nearly all the powerful shinobi of history had emerged through war, forged in the fires of battle.

Even Kiyo, cautious by nature, understood the potential gains.

But the Second Shinobi World War wasn't just about battlefield clashes.

In the original timeline, Tsunade lost Dan, Kato Dan's abilities were exposed, and Danzō began consolidating his influence. Taking advantage of the chaos, Danzō expanded the power of Root, eliminating anyone who stood in his way. Those who posed a threat to his goal of becoming Hokage were systematically removed.

"I should focus on training for now," Kiyo decided.

With that, he resumed his usual routine—training alone while Nawaki and Sarutobi Shuo engaged in sparring matches.

Sarutobi Shuo, having been injured in their last mission, had lost half a month of training time. He was still recovering his form, using his battles with Nawaki to regain his sharpness.

At first, Nawaki had the advantage. But as Sarutobi Shuo's condition improved, they became evenly matched. Eventually, Sarutobi Shuo surpassed Nawaki, pushing him onto the defensive.

"Damn it! I'm not going to fight you in close combat anymore!" Nawaki yelled, leaping back. "Time for ninjutsu!"

He quickly formed hand seals.

"Water Release: Water Arrow Technique!"

A barrage of water arrows shot toward Sarutobi Shuo, forcing him to keep his distance. But Nawaki wasn't done yet. He created three shadow clones, each of them forming hand seals simultaneously.

"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"

Four massive torrents of water erupted from their mouths—one targeting Sarutobi Shuo directly, while the others transformed the battlefield into a miniature lake.

"The Great Waterfall Technique!" Kiyo observed from the side, impressed. "So he finally mastered it. With this, he can change the terrain to his advantage and eliminate one of Water Release's biggest weaknesses."

Kiyo had noticed Nawaki struggling with the Great Waterfall Technique before. He had been stuck at a bottleneck, unable to perform it properly.

But now, he had finally broken through.

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