Rising Shadows: Uchiha's Wrath

"I said, you don't even know what fear is!" 

Kaito sighed helplessly, looking at the black soil in his hand. 

Couldn't this girl grasp the situation? She was just a prisoner now! But at that moment, an angry voice suddenly rang out from the camp gate: 

"Who are you? Let go of my granddaughter!" 

Kaito turned around and saw a short old man with a red, rosacea-covered nose glaring at him furiously. Behind the old man stood two figures—one was a red-haired man in a purple shirt with a displeased expression, while the other was a tightly wrapped man wearing a hat. Kaito narrowed his eyes and murmured, "Onoki, Roshi, Han... Looks like everyone's here." 

At that moment, Kurotsuchi turned her head and called out excitedly, "Grandpa, grandpa!" 

"He's... the Uchiha Kaito you've been searching for!" 

"Uchiha Kaito!" 

Onoki's pupils shrank suddenly, and he instinctively assumed a battle stance. Roshi and Han immediately followed suit, preparing for a fight. Kaito's deeds had shaken the ninja world for years. Whether exaggerated or not, his strength was undeniable. After all, he had obliterated Konoha yet still managed to escape safely with his clan—so much so that Konoha hadn't dared to send anyone after him. 

Kaito studied Kurotsuchi carefully. This little girl was more cunning than she appeared! She had feigned obedience to survive, but the moment Onoki arrived, she subtly revealed his identity. This was a calculated move, and Kaito had unknowingly fallen for it. 

"How did she manage to hide her emotions from my perception?" he wondered. 

In truth, Kurotsuchi hadn't intentionally masked her emotions—her shock at discovering Kaito's identity had been entirely genuine. When she revealed his identity to Onoki, she simply acted on instinct, nothing more complex than that. 

Onoki steadied himself and spoke in a deep voice, "Uchiha Kaito, Iwa has no direct enmity with you! Yet, you've injured my men and taken my granddaughter hostage. Are you declaring war on Iwagakure?" 

Kaito shrugged lazily. "Don't twist my words, old man. I came here to talk, but your granddaughter and her squad attacked me without hesitation. I'm innocent!" 

He smirked. "Besides, I was merciful. Otherwise, you'd be picking up their corpses right now." 

Onoki's face twitched. He knew Kurotsuchi had acted rashly. But Kaito's casual dismissal of Iwa's elite shinobi made his blood boil. 

Roshi, unable to contain his fury, stepped forward. "Watch your mouth, brat! This is our land! How dare you belittle Iwagakure? Our five thousand shinobi won't stand for this!" 

"Oh, five thousand fodder soldiers?" Kaito scoffed. "That's just five thousand extra corpses waiting to happen." 

Roshi clenched his fists, ready to attack, but Onoki raised a hand to stop him. "Enough. Let's not waste words." He turned to Kaito. "You've made a name for yourself, Uchiha Kaito. So, tell me, what do you want?" 

Kaito nodded. "I like a leader who gets to the point. I'm here to negotiate." 

"Despite some... misunderstandings, this doesn't have to escalate." 

With that, Kaito released his grip, pushing Kurotsuchi forward. 

He had no personal grudge against Iwagakure. In fact, if anyone had instigated this conflict, it was him. Threatening a child would be pointless. 

Kurotsuchi hesitated for a moment before running to Onoki's side. Seeing her safe, the tense atmosphere slightly eased, though the Iwa shinobi remained wary. 

Onoki narrowed his eyes. "What do you want to negotiate?" 

As he asked, his mind raced. "Could it be... that Uchiha is seeking an alliance against Konoha?" 

If that were the case, having an insider like Kaito could turn the tide in their favor. The possibility made Onoki's expression relax slightly. 

But Kaito, sensing Onoki's shift in attitude, shook his head. "I need something from you." 

"I require some of the Four-Tails and Five-Tails' chakra." 

"What?!" 

Before Onoki could respond, Roshi exploded in rage. "So that's it! You're after the Tailed Beasts!" 

"You arrogant brat! Do you think you're invincible?" Roshi snarled. "I was making a name for myself in the ninja world when you were still in diapers!" 

Kaito's eyes turned cold, his aura darkening. "You might want to consider the consequences of that temper of yours." 

"Trash like you? I could crush you with one hand." 

Before Roshi could react, Kaito's Sharingan flared, casting him into a deep illusion. 

"Roshi!" Han shouted, rushing to dispel the genjutsu. But no matter what he tried, Roshi remained motionless, completely unresponsive. 

Kaito smirked. "Don't bother. A fully powered Mangekyou illusion isn't something you can break." 

"If left unchecked, his soul will be completely erased in two hours." 

The tension in the camp spiked instantly. 

"You bastard! Release him!" 

"Do you think we're as weak as Konoha?" 

"If you don't let him go, we'll wipe out your Uchiha clan!" 

Several Iwa Jonin surged forward, but with a mere glance, Kaito trapped them in the same deadly illusion as Roshi. Their souls were extinguished instantly. 

Onoki's face darkened. "Is this your answer? Are you here to provoke us? To become Iwagakure's enemy?" 

Kaito shrugged. "That's right. I'm playing the villain this time." 

"So, I suggest you don't anger me further. I'm not here to slaughter anyone. If I were, Konoha would be the one benefiting from your destruction." 

He paused, his gaze sharpening. "And just so you understand... I'm stronger now than the Uchiha Madara you once fought." 

"Choose wisely, Lord Tsuchikage."