CHAPTER 136
Roshi's cold gaze settled on Might Guy, Ebisu, and Shiranui Genma. His voice carried barely restrained fury as he declared, "Because Akimichi Choza killed my disciple." He paused before sweeping his gaze across Uchiha Feiquan and returning it to the three of them. "Now I will kill his disciples to settle that debt."
"What?!"
Guy, Ebisu, and Genma were all stunned.
Captain Choza killed Roshi's disciple?
Who?
As though reading the confusion on their faces, Roshi slowly enunciated every word.
"Iwami Jūzō... you still remember him, don't you?"
In an instant, the expressions of Guy, Ebisu, and Genma changed dramatically.
Iwami Jūzō?!
He was Roshi's disciple?!
That was the very first Iwagakure Jonin they had encountered on the rainy night at Mount Kikyō. The same Iwagakure Jonin whom Guy had struck down with Kubikiribōchō. It was also the decisive battle that became the greatest contribution leading to Guy's promotion to Chunin at the age of nine.
However, judging from Roshi's words, he clearly didn't know the truth.
He believed the one who had killed Iwami Jūzō was Akimichi Choza.
Of course!
Guy instantly understood.
Back then, in order to protect him from becoming a priority assassination target for Iwagakure, Captain Choza had deliberately recorded the battle as an assisted kill. He had claimed responsibility for defeating Iwami Jūzō himself.
It had never been about taking credit.
It had been his way of protecting them while they were still children.
So much time had passed.
The Battle of Mount Kikyō had long since been buried beneath newer wars.
Most people had already forgotten about it.
Yet today...
Right here...
They had encountered Iwami Jūzō's master.
The Four-Tails Jinchūriki.
Rōshi of Iwagakure.
Guy, Ebisu, and Genma immediately became grim.
Especially Guy.
He had considered countless reasons why Outpost No. 8 might face such an overwhelming crisis.
But never...
Not even once...
Had he imagined that the source of this disaster might actually be himself.
Because of the Iwagakure Jonin he had killed at Mount Kikyō.
"Is Outpost No. 8 under attack because of me?"
"Has the Uchiha Clan been dragged into danger because of me?"
"Will Uchiha Feiquan die because of me too?"
"Am I the trigger behind everything?"
Countless thoughts flooded Guy's mind in an instant.
A powerful sense of guilt welled up inside him.
But in the very next moment...
He forcefully crushed that thought.
"No!"
Guy's eyes sharpened as he analyzed the situation.
"The opponent is Rōshi, a veteran Jinchūriki and one of Iwagakure's strategic weapons."
"Would they really deploy someone like him to the front lines simply to avenge one disciple?"
"That doesn't make sense."
"The Iwagakure leadership would never make such a reckless decision."
His gaze shifted toward the fifty elite Iwagakure shinobi standing behind Rōshi.
Then toward the emergency flares still rising from distant outposts.
This wasn't the only battlefield.
This was a carefully planned offensive launched by Iwagakure.
"Rōshi is saying all of this to destroy our morale."
"He wants the Uchiha to believe we've dragged them into this."
"He wants to create suspicion."
"To divide us from within."
"And perhaps even force Uchiha Feiquan to hand us over."
"If that really happened, then even if the Uchiha survived tonight, their reputation within Konoha would be destroyed."
"Who would ever trust a clan that abandoned its comrades on the battlefield?"
"This is a scheme."
"A blatant scheme."
Guy's thoughts raced even faster.
He suddenly realized another possibility.
Destroying the Uchiha outpost and eliminating one of Konoha's strongest defensive positions...
That was the true objective.
As for killing him, Ebisu, and Genma to avenge Iwami Jūzō...
That was simply an additional goal.
Rōshi feared that if battle erupted, the three of them might escape amidst the chaos.
"So he's trying to force us out with words first."
"Once we're handed over..."
"He can kill us immediately."
As that final conclusion formed, Guy became almost completely certain.
The enemy would never mobilize such overwhelming strength solely for revenge.
This was unquestionably an official military operation by Iwagakure.
It just so happened...
That they were here.
And Rōshi happened to recognize them.
Or rather...
He had received intelligence beforehand.
"As for where that intelligence came from..."
Guy immediately thought of the surviving Iwagakure shinobi who had escaped during the battle where they rescued Kurenai.
They must have reported everything.
Rōshi knew.
He was simply using revenge as an excuse to break their unity.
Guy was certain.
Even if Uchiha Feiquan truly handed the three of them over...
Rōshi would never spare the Uchiha Clan.
This was nothing more than a carefully planned assault.
Rōshi paid no attention to the storm of thoughts passing through Guy's mind.
Looking at the grim expressions of the three boys, he let out a cold snort.
"What?"
"You remember now?"
His eyes locked onto Guy.
"You stepped over my disciple's corpse and became a Chunin."
"You've got some ability."
After another cold snort, he turned his gaze toward Uchiha Feiquan, whose expression had begun changing.
He deliberately raised his voice so every Uchiha present could hear him clearly.
"Akimichi Choza killed my disciple."
"It is only natural that I kill his disciples in return."
He paused before speaking with even greater emphasis.
"Hand those three over."
"And I'll allow the Uchiha Clan to leave alive."
"Otherwise..."
"Not a single person here will survive today."
The moment those words fell...
Uchiha Feiquan's eyes flickered violently.
For the first time...
Visible hesitation appeared on his face.
If the ones being demanded were members of the Uchiha Clan...
He would reject the offer without the slightest hesitation.
But...
If they were merely three outsiders...
Using the lives of three outsiders...
To ensure the survival of the majority of the Uchiha elite...
"This exchange..."
"...doesn't seem impossible."
The thought flashed across Uchiha Feiquan's mind.
The entire outpost fell into suffocating silence.
Many Uchiha shinobi unconsciously looked back and forth between Guy's trio and Rōshi.
Hesitation.
Conflict.
Indecision.
They quietly spread through the ranks.
Just as the oppressive atmosphere reached its peak...
Just as Guy was about to step forward...
Whoosh!
A shuriken suddenly tore through the air.
It flew straight toward Rōshi.
However...
Before it could even reach him...
It struck a wall of molten lava.
With a sharp hiss...
The steel melted instantly before dropping onto the ground.
The next moment...
Uchiha Shisui stepped forward.
He stood at the very front of every Uchiha shinobi.
His face remained calm as ice while his voice rang clearly across the battlefield.
"Everyone."
"Stay calm."
"This is the enemy's attempt to divide us."
His crimson Three-Tomoe Sharingan swept across the clan members behind him before finally settling upon his father.
"The enemy has launched a full-scale assault."
"They even deployed a strategic weapon like a Jinchūriki."
"There is absolutely no way their objective is merely two Genin and one Chunin."
"Even if we hand Guy and the others over..."
"The enemy will never let us leave."
"Surrendering comrades will only embolden them."
"And hasten our own destruction."
"This is war."
"Outpost No. 8 guards one of the vital routes leading toward Konoha's eastern defenses."
"As long as we remain here, we block Iwagakure's advance toward the main base."
"The only way for them to open that route..."
"...is to wipe us out."
"If we hand people over now..."
"We'll only weaken ourselves and make victory easier for them."
"And besides..."
His gaze sharpened.
His voice grew even firmer.
"Since when has the Uchiha Clan needed to sacrifice others just to buy a disgraceful chance at survival?"
Shisui's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over everyone's heads.
Many Uchiha who had been wavering instantly regained their senses.
That's right.
Iwagakure had mobilized a Jinchūriki.
Along with fifty elite shinobi.
How could they possibly launch such an operation over nothing more than personal revenge?
This was war.
People died every day.
If every Jonin's death required a Jinchūriki to personally seek revenge...
Then Iwagakure's leadership would truly be incompetent.
Perhaps Rōshi genuinely wanted to kill Guy and the others.
But allowing everyone else to leave?
That was obviously a lie.
This was a scheme designed to divide them from within.
Especially those final words.
Since when had the Uchiha Clan ever survived by sacrificing outsiders?
If news of such disgrace spread...
Where would the clan's honor remain?
The hesitation on the faces of the Uchiha shinobi quickly disappeared.
In its place came anger at having been manipulated...
And the determination to fight to the bitter end.
Even Uchiha Feiquan drew a slow breath.
The uncertainty in his eyes completely vanished.
Instead, they became sharp once again.
He even felt ashamed of the hesitation that had crossed his mind moments earlier.
At the same time...
A trace of admiration appeared in his eyes as he looked toward his son.
Rōshi naturally heard every word Shisui had spoken.
His expression instantly darkened.
Killing intent surged from his body.
"Trying to divide you?"
He laughed in anger.
His icy voice echoed across the battlefield.
"To deal with a few brats..."
"Do you really think I'd need such tricks?"
"Since you refuse to appreciate my kindness..."
"Then every last one of you can die!"
He suddenly raised his arm.
Then swung it downward.
"Kill them!"
"Leave no one alive!"
With that single command...
The fifty elite Iwagakure shinobi who had long been waiting erupted with earth-shaking battle cries.
Like a raging flood...
They charged directly toward Outpost No. 8.
The battle began instantly.
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