"Don't worry, the heritage will be preserved within the village. As long as you contribute enough and remain loyal, you'll be granted the right to study it."
Tamura Hao solemnly promised as he embedded the engraved chakra tile into a sealing matrix on a preserved piece of Uzumaki armor.
After receiving Tamura Hao's assurance, the two Uzumaki elders looked slightly comforted. But as their eyes swept over the razed ruins of their once-proud village, bitterness overwhelmed them.
"The village… couldn't be saved after all."
"Damn Konoha…"
Looking at the devastation around him, Uzumaki Masahiko couldn't suppress his fury. His mind echoed with the memory of those he had trusted—those three guests who brought destruction masked as diplomacy.
He had allowed Sarutobi Shinnosuke, Shimura Danzō's subordinate, and the disguised Root agent posing as a merchant to step foot into Uzushiogakure. Who would have predicted this betrayal would lead to such catastrophic consequences?
"Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo will not die peacefully… I will see them in the Pure Land myself."
Aloe Uzumaki's eyes burned with hatred, his grudge now eternal. Though his chakra had thinned to nearly nothing, his resentment carried weight beyond death.
Uzumaki Masahiko didn't speak again. The chakra sustaining his body was dispersing. He had already used forbidden sealing techniques beyond his lifespan, and now, the inevitable was here.
"Grandfather!"
Kushina's cries became heart-wrenching. She clutched his hand tightly, knowing deep down that she was losing him.
But she wasn't allowed to grieve for long. Tamura Hao gently approached, delivering a precise strike to the back of her neck, knocking her unconscious.
"You bastard…!"
Seeing his granddaughter collapse, Masahiko's withered eyes flared open for the last time. But instead of hatred, a serene smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. At least… this way, she would not need to watch him die.
"Let this tragedy never repeat in the Hidden Cloud."
Ay of the Yeyue clan stepped forward. Alongside him stood Fukai, their eyes heavy as they gazed at the two elders' bodies. The memory of Uzushiogakure's annihilation would be carved into the soul of Kumogakure.
"Never again!"
Tamura Hao echoed firmly. The Hidden Cloud was his foundation, and he would guard it with his life.
Just then, distant sobs rang out. The evacuees—those Uzumaki civilians whom Tamura Hao had helped escort away—had returned. As they stepped into the demolished village, gazing at the shattered walls and the shredded bodies of their kin, anguish filled the air.
Uzumaki wails of grief and despair echoed through the ruins, resonating with loss and betrayal.
And beneath it all, hatred toward Konohagakure simmered.
They were allies—bound by the seal of camaraderie and years of support. Yet, Konoha betrayed them. The bitterness now rooted itself in the hearts of the survivors.
"In the blink of an eye… such a mighty village is gone."
Tamura Hao's expression was solemn. This was the nature of ninja wars—swift, deceptive, and cruel. Even a moment's carelessness could lead to utter ruin.
It reminded him of the chaos that would come during the Third Shinobi War, when Kirigakure's elite squad stormed into the Land of Fire, only to be decimated by Might Guy, who opened the Sixth Gate and kicked them straight into the "Three Lucky Treasures"—a tragic fate that shattered their spirits and minds.
But the real orchestrator of today's tragedy… was a young man from the Aburame clan—a true strategic-level threat.
"That must have been Aburame Shiguro, Togen's father. Both are from the same rare bloodline… and likely part of Danzō's inner circle."
Tamura Hao guessed the man's identity. Aburame Togen hadn't been born yet, which meant his father—who possessed the same insect-based hijutsu—was the likely culprit.
"Ninja wars are unpredictable… the horrors are beyond comprehension."
Tamura Hao shivered slightly as he surveyed the dismembered remains and smoldering wreckage.
That was why he had specifically reforged a long Miao Dao sword set—Big Cat and Little Cat—to keep his enemies at bay. Getting too close in combat was tantamount to suicide against foes like this.
"Our Kumogakure shinobi fall short when it comes to bizarre tactics. We're too direct."
Fukai shared the same concern. Hidden Cloud's forces were specialized in brute strength and lightning-fast taijutsu, but they lacked flexible counters to insidious jutsu.
"We need more—beyond the Uzumaki. We must absorb what others have, strengthen what we lack."
Ay's tone was clear and resolute. They would preserve Kumogakure's strengths—but weaknesses had to be patched with foreign talents, even if acquired by force.
This was the strategic value of the Uzumaki operation. And it wouldn't end here.
As they spoke, Tamura Hao walked toward a pile of corpses and summoned Samehada. The chakra-hungry sword immediately sprang to life, devouring the residual chakra from the Uzumaki corpses.
The Uzumaki's chakra was massive and overflowing with vitality. Samehada shuddered with pleasure, gorging on it greedily.
Ay and Fukai both grew uneasy as they surveyed the battlefield. Over two thousand Sand and Stone ninjas had perished alongside Uzushiogakure's defenders—wiped out silently by Konoha's shadowy hand.
Compared to this terrifying precision strike, Kumogakure's frontal victory over Kirigakure looked like child's play.
"Worthy of being called the strongest Hidden Village," Fukai murmured grimly.
Tamura Hao nodded slowly. Konohagakure housed many powerful clans—Uchiha, Senju, Hyuga, Aburame, Sarutobi—all monsters in their own right.
The other four villages had elite ninjas, sure. But Konoha could mass-produce powerhouses—Kage-level even.
Even though Konoha's "F4" (Hiruzen, Danzō, Homura, and Koharu) often fell into infighting and destroyed the Senju and Uchiha clans from within, their overall foundation remained unshakable. The Fourth Great Ninja War later became Konoha's stage, where they stole the spotlight from all others.
"What's that?"
Fukai suddenly looked up at the sky. Tamura Hao and Ay turned as well, eyes following the faint chakra signal above the forest canopy.
A figure was rising—staggering, unbalanced. Clearly, his condition was failing.
"It's the Iwagakure commander!"
Tamura Hao raised his chakra telescope. His sharp eyes confirmed it: it was the man who had ridiculed them in the earlier negotiation—a pompous commander who now fled for his life.
"Brother Ay, I think he needs your help. Don't let him fall to his death."
Tamura Hao said with faux sincerity. He was someone who believed in swift and appropriate revenge—never forgetting a grudge.
Ay blinked at him. Why should he care if an Iwagakure commander died?
Tamura Hao grinned. "Think of it this way: You and the Third Raikage both have the Earth Release affinity. If you obtain Iwagakure's weight-reducing or flight techniques, like the Light-Weight Rock Jutsu, your speed will increase even further."
During the Fourth Great Ninja War, the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, had enhanced the Fourth Raikage's speed by using this very technique. For a Lightning Release master, increased speed directly translated into higher lethality.
If the Fourth Raikage could benefit, then the even stronger Third Raikage would benefit more.
"…Damn it, don't die!"
Ay's eyes widened, understanding the potential. Without another word, he activated Lightning Release Armor and dashed off, leaving arcs of electricity in his wake as he pursued the commander.
"Brother!"
Fukai sighed helplessly at Ay's impulsiveness.
"Teacher, please go too. Create a Lightning Clone and notify Lord Tutai. Have a team deployed immediately. The commander's chakra is deteriorating—he won't last long after being poisoned by the insects. We must obtain his Doton techniques."
Tamura Hao looked at Fukai and gestured to the now-secured village.
"Don't worry about me. I'll be safe."
Fukai gave a nod, formed a clone to deliver the message, and then followed Ay into the distance.
Tamura Hao remained. He returned to scavenging with Samehada, who by now had grown to an enormous size—bloated with chakra and nearly purring in satisfaction.
But as Hao moved toward another wrecked home, a sudden chill crept up his spine.
Something felt off.
His hand tightened on Samehada. With practiced motion, he swung the sword up defensively and pulled out a kunai with an explosive tag.
Eyes narrowing, he faced a collapsed building to his right.
"…Who's there?"
His voice was icy.
"If you don't come out… I'll throw the tag."