Swish, swish, swish.
Amid a series of wind-breaking sounds, more and more figures landed around the shinobi academy.
Among these figures were ordinary Hidden Leaf shinobi passing by, squads of Anbu arriving in groups, and heirs of prominent clans who came upon hearing the news.
Yet, as they witnessed the fierce clash between "Wood Release" and "Susanoo" on the training field, none of the growing crowd of spectators stepped forward to intervene.
Everyone was in shock!
And who could blame them? The recent actions of the Akatsuki's 'A' and 'B' had delivered far too many Uchiha-related shocks.
Especially the last assault on the archives by Akatsuki's 'B.'
That hundred-meter-tall, towering "Susanoo" that loomed over the Hidden Leaf Village remained a nightmare haunting many villagers' dreams even now.
But now, the village finally had its own Mangekyo Sharingan Uchiha. Though he was still a youthful boy, his presence was enough to boost morale.
Swish, swish.
Another series of wind-breaking sounds rang out as Tsunade, Jiraiya, and others arrived at the scene.
Seeing the purple, half-formed "Susanoo" locked in fierce combat with Yakumo's "Wood Release" on the training field, Tsunade's expression hardened. She murmured, "I never expected that kid…"
Jiraiya, equally stunned, said, "If I'm not mistaken, that boy's not even ten years old, right?"
Tsunade nodded, then quickly regained her composure. She barked at the gathered Hidden Leaf shinobi, "What are you all standing around for? Hurry up and evacuate the academy students!"
Indeed!
Tsunade had no intention of stopping the battle on the training field.
In her mind, nothing could reveal the true strength of Uchiha Sasuke, newly awakened to the Mangekyo Sharingan, better than real combat.
This challenge, initiated by Sasuke himself, was a golden opportunity.
And she was confident that her disciple, Yakumo, had the ability to force Sasuke's true power to the surface!
Under Tsunade's orders, the spectating Hidden Leaf shinobi snapped out of their daze. Some assisted the academy teachers in evacuating the students, while others collectively used Earth Release techniques to erect a wall around the training field, preventing the battle's shockwaves from spreading to other parts of the village.
Uchiha Shinji and the other students in the teaching building were among those being evacuated.
Iruka rushed into the classroom, shouting, "Everyone, stop watching! It's not safe here. Follow me to a secure location!"
A student protested, "Iruka-sensei, Sasuke and Yakumo wouldn't hurt us on purpose. Why do we have to leave?"
Iruka explained patiently, "The 'Susanoo' of the Mangekyo Sharingan and 'Wood Release' both possess immense destructive power. Even if they don't mean to, their battle could affect this area. So, let's leave for now. Line up and don't wander off!"
In truth, Iruka held back another concern.
When Kakashi had approached him to evacuate the students, he mentioned that Sasuke, now awakened to the Mangekyo Sharingan, was in an unstable state.
The Uchiha clan was already prone to extremes, and with the Mangekyo Sharingan awakened, Iruka didn't dare bet on whether Sasuke might accidentally destroy the teaching building.
Despite the teachers' strict orders, many students lingered reluctantly, unwilling to leave the windows.
The debate over whether "Susanoo" or "Wood Release" was stronger had been a hot topic in the academy—and the entire Hidden Leaf Village—for months.
Though many instinctively believed the First Hokage's "Wood Release" was superior to the Uchiha's "Susanoo," the terrifying display of Akatsuki's 'B' and his "Susanoo" had left a deep impression.
Moreover, Yakumo, who wielded "Wood Release," had been thoroughly outmatched in her clash with 'B,' causing some villagers to waver, quietly wondering if "Wood Release" could truly defeat "Susanoo."
Now, with "Susanoo" and "Wood Release" clashing once more—and between familiar classmates, no less—it naturally piqued everyone's interest.
Not just half the students, but even Neji, a genius on par with Sasuke and Yakumo at the academy, couldn't tear his eyes away from the battlefield.
Iruka, exasperated, raised his voice in rare anger, finally prompting the students to begin evacuating reluctantly.
Amid the evacuating crowd, Uchiha Shinji shook his head slightly.
Though the battle on the training field raged on, he already knew the outcome. Unlike the others, who were brimming with curiosity, he felt little interest.
Karin, meanwhile, was uneasy, thinking to herself, "Could the chakra the boss transferred to me yesterday really have come from Sasuke? Has he joined the organization too?"
Outside the training field.
The Third Hokage and a group of advisory elders had also arrived, standing atop the newly erected earth wall.
As they gazed at the unfamiliar purple "Susanoo" on the training field, the elders' expressions were far from pleased.
Danzo, in particular, looked as dark as a storm cloud, his grim demeanor practically dripping with malice.
To be clear, the annihilation of the Uchiha clan in the village was entirely orchestrated by him, the most hawkish figure in the Hokage's faction.
Not only that, he had raided the Uchiha's secret vaults, plundering every Sharingan from the bodies of the fallen clan members.
Add to that his past actions of imprisoning Shinji and Sasuke, and later sending subordinates to assassinate Shinji. His enmity with the Uchiha clan was irreconcilable, a grudge as deep as the sea!
If the Uchiha clan had simply faded into obscurity, he could have turned a blind eye to the remnants like Shinji and Sasuke.
But reality was far different. Both Uchiha Shinji and Uchiha Sasuke were becoming increasingly dazzling, impossible to ignore.
Now, with Uchiha Sasuke awakening the cursed Mangekyo Sharingan, even Danzo's cold, calculating heart couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear.
Koharu Utatane's mood was equally complex.
She had just gone to great lengths to curry favor with Uchiha Shinji, only for Uchiha Sasuke to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan soon after. It made her feel as though she'd bet on the wrong horse.
Especially since her chosen candidate, Shinji, hadn't even awakened an ordinary Sharingan yet.
The Third Hokage, however, felt a sense of relief.
It was precisely because of his bold decisions and keen insight that he had invested in Uchiha Sasuke early on, securing him as a key political asset for his return to power.
Now, with Sasuke's awakening of the Mangekyo Sharingan, his earlier arrangements seemed all the more wise and decisive.
Beyond that, from the village's perspective, nurturing a Mangekyo Sharingan Uchiha of their own was like a gift in a time of need.
With Sasuke, the Hidden Leaf Village would have a greater chance of victory when facing the mysterious Mangekyo-wielding Akatsuki members 'A' and 'B' in the future.