Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou

"Not good!"

Amidst the rain, Kushina Uzumaki's figure, surrounded by puppets and struck by hidden weapons, suddenly dissolved into a puff of white smoke. Hidden within the forest, the Sand ninja puppeteer's expression darkened. Just as he prepared to retreat, a surge of flames erupted behind him.

Fire Release: Dragon Flame Jutsu!

Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Nail Crimson!

Mikoto Uchiha inhaled deeply before unleashing a roaring fire dragon, the searing flames streaking toward the puppeteer's location. Simultaneously, Shirou followed with a barrage of fireballs, raining destruction on the surrounding Sand ninjas.

"Not good! There are shurikens hidden in the fire!"

Amidst the Phoenix Sage Flower Nail Crimson attack, crimson-hot shurikens spun with deadly precision, hurtling toward their targets.

"Don't underestimate us Sand ninjas!"

The puppeteer roared furiously, summoning a puppet with a metal shield to block the flames. White smoke burst forth as the shield deflected the fiery onslaught. He exhaled in relief, but a sudden sharp whistle from his flank froze him in place.

Wind Release: Vacuum Bullets!

Kushina Uzumaki's hands flew through a series of seals before unleashing a rapid-fire barrage of wind projectiles. The high-velocity bullets whistled through the rain-soaked air, carving a deadly path.

Splat! Splat! Splat!

The Sand puppeteer didn't even have time to scream as the wind bullets tore through him, leaving his body riddled with wounds. Blood sprayed out in the rain, his lifeless form crumpling to the ground.

"Ota!"

The remaining Sand ninjas roared in anguish as their comrade fell, his body a motionless husk.

Shing!

Behind another Sand ninja, a pair of glimmering Sharingan eyes appeared. Shirou's Kusanagi sword pierced through the enemy's heart with precision.

"Never lose focus on the battlefield, especially against the Sharingan," Shirou muttered coldly.

The Sand ninja's pupils dilated in shock. As strength drained from his body, he collapsed into the muddy ground, a silent victim of the legendary Sharingan's power.

"Damn it! konoha!"

Realizing their mission had failed, the remaining Sand ninjas issued a desperate retreat order.

"Retreat!"

As they fled, explosive kunai rained down behind them, erupting in deafening blasts to cover their escape.

"Don't chase them!"

Under the relentless rain, Shirou, panting heavily, stopped Kushina from pursuing the fleeing enemies.

"Damn it!"

Glaring at the escaping figures, Kushina gritted her teeth in frustration.

"Next time, I'll make sure they don't get away!"

Reluctantly, she joined Mikoto in surveying the battlefield. Meanwhile, Shirou stood motionless, his face etched with a grim expression.

"The situation has escalated this much already? We've only just entered the Land of Rain, and the intensity of the fighting is this high," Shirou muttered under his breath.

They had been in the Land of Rain for only a short time, yet this was already the tenth ambush they had faced.

"Let's clean up the battlefield and prepare to report back," Shirou commanded.

"Understood!"

Mikoto and Kushina worked methodically to clear the battlefield. Shirou, meanwhile, gazed toward the rain-drenched horizon, his brows furrowed in thought.

A moment later, the three disappeared, leaving behind only the remnants of their battle.

...

Land of Rain Rear Base

"Lady Tsunade, we've detected thirteen enemy squads infiltrating the left flank. We've deployed reinforcements…"

Inside the command tent, Tsunade frowned deeply as she listened to the report.

"What kind of strategy is this? How are so many Sand and Rain ninjas slipping past our defenses? Where are Orochimaru and Jiraiya?"

Her voice was sharp with frustration. Just then, the tent flap opened, revealing the exhausted figures of Jiraiya and Orochimaru.

"Haha, Tsunade, I could hear you complaining from a hundred meters away," Jiraiya teased, though Orochimaru ignored the banter and spoke gravely.

"Tsunade, White Fang led a strike force against the Sand ninja camp yesterday. This is their retaliation."

The war in the Land of Rain was unrelenting. What made matters worse was the uneasy alliance between the Sand and Rain ninja. Temporarily halting their hostilities, they had focused their attacks on Konoha. The result was significant casualties and unrelenting pressure on the Konoha forces.

Meanwhile, the other great ninja villages—Cloud and Mist—were testing Konoha's defenses, forcing the Land of Fire to stretch its resources thin. This was why Hiruzen Sarutobi was so eager to conclude the Land of Rain conflict swiftly.

"We've secured control of this territory, but we must force the Rain's main forces into a decisive battle. Otherwise, these endless skirmishes will continue," Tsunade said, her brow furrowed as she studied the map.

Orochimaru nodded.

"White Fang is holding back the Sand forces for now, but our focus must remain on drawing out Hanzo and the Rain's main army."

The captured territory was rich in resources, which explained the constant attacks. Konoha's strategy was to exploit these resources while forcing the Rain into a full-scale confrontation.

"So, we're to deplete their resources and pressure them into engaging us head-on. But at this rate, it's turning into a war of attrition," Tsunade muttered.

Orochimaru's voice turned cold.

"The Land of Fire can afford it. In the meantime, we gain valuable resources and drain theirs."

Jiraiya, attempting to lighten the mood, grinned.

"Tsunade, White Fang sent a report earlier. He wanted to thank you for the antidote that neutralized Chiyo's poison."

Tsunade snorted.

"If I hadn't been working on that antidote, I wouldn't have been late to the battlefield."

Her tone was sharp, but her actions had been critical. Using the superior facilities of Konoha, she had developed a countermeasure for the deadly poisons of Chiyo, the Sand's infamous elder.

"But we can't relax," Tsunade added.

"Chiyo's poisons are evolving, and patterns can only help so much. The real problem is Hanzo of the Salamander. He's too unpredictable."