Madara Uchiha, undeniably a master of combat, possessed another equally formidable weapon: his unparalleled mastery of rhetoric. Beyond the artifices of illusions inherited from his clan, he wielded words with the same ease as a sharp blade. He delighted in comparing himself to the adage that "the pen is mightier than the sword," aware that his charisma and persuasive power allowed him to exert a subtle influence over the minds of his peers, far beyond mere physical confrontations.

He excelled in the art of wielding his oratory talents to alter the perception of reality in his interlocutors, and especially to influence, even control, their thoughts, choices, and actions. To achieve this, he exploited the subtleties of psychological manipulation, skillfully playing on the strings of seduction, suggestion, persuasion, and even submission, whether voluntary or not.

Thus, the Uchiha relied on this invisible weapon, his mastery of words, to shape the thoughts of the crowds that gathered before him. For just as a rumor spreads in an instant, an idea, a conviction, can spread even faster. A simple word, a timely gesture, and a seed is planted in the minds of his listeners, ready to germinate and spread like an epidemic. It is this contagion of ideas, nurtured and consolidated by the masses, that Madara Uchiha sought to exploit to his advantage.

Day 189

For several days now, they had been traversing the lands of Tsuchi no Kuni, the Land of Earth, heading towards Hi No Kuni, the Land of Fire, with the intention of conducting guerrilla raids. The Shodai Tsukikage had been categorical: war was imminent, and it was important to inflict as much damage as possible while Hi No Kuni remained unaware. Thus, several teams, including theirs, had been dispatched to set fire to crops, lay ambushes, and capture prisoners of war, all in utmost secrecy. Discretion was the alpha and omega of this operation.

Their group had already reduced to ashes four villages between Tsuchi No Kuni and Hi No Kuni, and they were now approaching a larger settlement. Although closer to a town than a simple village, it remained too modest to harbor an armed force or even shinobi. If a ninja were there, it was either by pure chance or due to family ties. But in any case, what could they do alone against their unit of ten men?

Due to the perilous nature of the mission, no genin had been integrated into their squad, which consisted mainly of chunin and a few jonin. Fuji himself was an elite jonin, designated to oversee this operation. He was no novice; a disciple of the great Ryôtenbin no Ônoki, himself a student of the highly revered Mû-sama and a contender for the title of Nidaime Tsuchikage.

Although his skills were not yet on par with legends, Fuji mastered ninja arts with formidable precision. Only a few rare fighters around the world could hope to rival him. The kages, on the other hand, belonged to a whole different sphere, an elite he didn't even dare to think about confronting. He had received strict orders to retreat at the mere sight of these higher-category ninjas, aware that any confrontation would be an inevitable sentence.

With a solemn gesture, Fuji raised his arm into the air, fist clenched, signaling to his squad to halt their advance: their destination was in sight. From the edge of the forest that concealed them, the vast village appeared on the horizon, its silhouette masked by smoke rising from the houses. A few industrious souls were still toiling in the fields, harvesting the last fruits of the crops. Hi No Kuni enjoyed a mild climate, extending the growing season and allowing for abundant harvests spread over time.

"You two," Fuji pointed towards two shinobi dressed in the manner of Earth Country ninjas, "go around. Once in position, spread out and be ready to intercept any attempt by the villagers to flee. As agreed, no prisoners."

"Roger," the two men replied before disappearing in a flash to take their positions.

"Nanako, do you detect any chakra sources in the area?" the squad leader inquired, turning to a teenager. Newly promoted to chunin, he had been included in the squad for his sensory abilities, an essential asset for this kind of mission.

"Not at the moment. No chakra presence in the village or its surroundings... Keiko and Kenshi are in place as per your instructions," the young ninja replied, his eyes closed to better concentrate.

"Perfect. We spare the grain silos and granaries," Fuji reaffirmed with confidence, pivoting towards the village. "Move out!"

And thus, like shadows carried by the wind, eight ninjas from Tsuchi No Kuni surged towards the village, unleashing chaos. A villager busy harvesting wheat with an imposing scythe had no inkling of the tragedy unfolding, never perceiving the fatal blade that, in a flash, took his life. In a final moment of incomprehension, he gazed at his own body, now separated from him by a cruel distance of a meter, before darkness engulfed him, suffocated by the void of nothingness... and death claimed him.

These warriors were masters in the art of killing, seasoned professionals who had shaped their existence around this grim profession. The villagers stood no chance. Men, women, children, all were mercilessly cut down.

"Doton: Tarumi!" one of the shinobi roared, as he performed hand seals, his hands striking the ground. A surge of chakra shook the earth, bending nearly fifteen meters of terrain under its grasp, crushing four houses with their occupants.

"Aaaaaah! Flee!" a villager screamed before collapsing, a kunai lodged in his back.

"Fuji-sama! Alert!" the sensory ninja called out.

Fuji halted his actions and abruptly turned his gaze towards the one who had called his name. Such an interruption in the midst of an assault was unprecedented, a sign that something urgent was afoot. The terror painted on his subordinate's face only confirmed his fears. Wide-eyed, body trembling like a leaf in the wind, he seemed on the verge of succumbing under the weight of fear.

"What is it?" Fuji inquired urgently, approaching as the others continued their mission.

"Two chakra sources are rushing towards us at dizzying speed," the shinobi informed.

"Their threat level?" Fuji promptly asked, never having envisioned having to face other ninjas, though the risk remained latent.

"S-level, Fuji-sama!" the man exclaimed, growing increasingly agitated.

A shiver ran down Fuji's spine at the mention of the threat level. Few people around the world could boast a chakra reserve reaching S-level. The situation was more than critical. Most of his squad members were at a modest B-level, only two of them could claim an A-level.

"How far are they?" Fuji inquired, his voice tinged with palpable urgency.

The sensory ninja didn't have a chance to respond before a burst of foreign chakra struck the village. It was such a vast and singular energy that it could have been perceived by any individual, even devoid of sensory abilities. Barely a second later, he saw one of his soldiers' bodies violently thrown away, lifeless.

He immediately turned his gaze towards the source of the threat, ready to defend himself. In this critical situation, his options dwindled to two: flee or buy time for his squad to retreat. But was that even conceivable?

"Order 10!" Fuji shouted to his men, indicating that a new threat had emerged within their group and that the ongoing mission was now set aside to face this new situation. Two individuals stood before them: a towering man clad in a brown kimono, wearing a straw hat, and armed with two swords that he soon drew. His long black hair, reaching down to his hips, floated in the air.

The other person was a... Fuji blinked twice, incredulous at what he saw. Was it a genjutsu? Before him stood a woman with pink hair, dressed for combat, a sword hanging on her back. Despite his disbelief, he could not ignore the evidence: these two individuals were ninjas. Yet, no distinctive signs betrayed their allegiance to any village, no forehead protector adorned their brows. Deserters, perhaps? Or residents of the village itself? In any case, it was dire news for Fuji's squad.

The two adversaries wore stern expressions, their hardened features announcing the imminence of battle. Fuji had little time for further reflection: the two individuals immediately launched their assault on his troops. Barely two seconds had passed before two of his men lay dead. One was cleanly sliced, his head rolling on the ground, while the other had his arm ripped off before being violently thrown against a building.

Faced with this carnage, Fuji bitterly realized the extent of their disadvantage. Regardless of the identity of these attackers, their only chance of survival lay in retreat.

"Retreat! Rally point: A!" Fuji ordered, rushing towards the enemy shinobi himself. His objective: to buy time for his companions before considering his own escape.

"Sakura-san, take care of this one, I'll deal with the fugitives," Madara instructed, watching the other members of his group flee towards the edge of the forest. Concentrating his chakra into his limbs, he leaped forward with astonishing agility. In an instant, he caught up to the first fugitive and, with a fluid motion, severed his head without slowing his pace.

"He's chasing us!" one of the Earth Country ninjas exclaimed.

Three kunai were hurled towards Madara from different sources. With a quick motion, he retaliated by throwing his own kunai, striking one of the projectiles approaching him and deflecting it from its trajectory. Then, with a fluid movement of his sword, he blocked the second before skillfully dodging the third, all without ever interrupting his relentless advance.

Bounding towards a tree where one of his assailants hid, he adeptly avoided and parried the earth shinobi's sword strike, orchestrating a deadly dance. In a fluid motion, he directed the very weapon of the chunin into his throat, ending his life.

Thanks to his active Sharingan, he had anticipated the movement of another enemy, who was preparing his attack from behind while he finished off the first opponent. Without even turning around, he shifted to the side, seizing the kunai aimed at him. With a quick movement, he hurled the weapon towards his assailant.

The ninja narrowly dodged and seemed ready to flee, but he had underestimated Madara's intelligence, cunning, and unparalleled mastery of even the most basic techniques. As the kunai lodged behind the fleeing ninja, Madara executed a Kawarimi no Jutsu with the weapon. Many shinobi used this technique to escape deadly attacks, but Madara used it offensively, demonstrating his exceptional mastery and creativity.

With this bold maneuver, he traded places with the kunai, seemingly teleporting behind the Shinobi who, bewildered, did not grasp the extent of what was happening before his head was separated from the rest of his body.

Two of the Earth Country Shinobi bounded from tree to tree, their escape finally leading them to a clearing. Ignoring the cries of their fallen comrades behind them, obvious signs of their imminent massacre, they fled for their lives, aware of their modest status as Chunin and their helplessness against their adversaries.

However, their run came to an abrupt halt as they reached the heart of the clearing. There stood one of their pursuers, advancing slowly in their direction, a silent threat looming around him. Each deliberate movement served to instill terror in his enemies, he who had already effortlessly slain five ninjas.

A shiver of dread ran down the spines of the two Chunin as a murderous aura emanated from their adversary. One of them, skilled in sensing, almost knelt under the weight of this pressure exacerbated by the perception of his chakra. Within earshot, Madara raised his head, revealing his imperturbable face to the two ninjas now paralyzed by fear.

Faced with this enigmatic figure, they realized the extent of their mistake, instinctively knowing they never had the slightest chance. Before them stood Uchiha Madara, a legend among Shinobi, reputed dead long ago. Doubts arose: had they been deceived? Was this a ploy by Konoha to goad them into attacking? Many unanswered questions as they were ruthlessly cut down by the Uchiha.

"Wh... why?" one of the Shinobi asked as life escaped his body.

"For peace," replied Madara calmly, as he finished off the soldier with a precise stroke of his blade. A swift motion of his arm dispersed the crimson blood on his weapon, before meticulously wiping the blade with a piece of cloth, then returning it to its sheath.

Meanwhile, Sakura struggled against Fuji, her fate hanging in the whirlwind of battle.

As Madara headed towards his comrades, Fuji tried to restrain him but was constrained by Sakura's determination. He narrowly dodged a punch aimed at his face. Why had he dodged that blow? She was, after all, just a mere woman, but strangely, his instinct had told him to. He had the strange sensation of having brushed against death.

Without hesitation, he quickly swung his katana towards the young woman's neck, aiming to incapacitate her with a clean strike. However, Sakura summoned in a cloud of smoke a kunai into her hand, simultaneously parrying his attack.

Logically, the force underlying his movement should have allowed him to continue his attack, even against a defense. But to his great surprise, he felt a sensation akin to striking against an iron pillar, pain violently spreading through his entire arm.

At the sight of the smoke cloud, he instantly understood that his opponent mastered the complex art of Fuinjutsu. The pink-haired kunoichi renewed her assault, again thrusting her fist towards his face. Fuji reacted promptly, rapidly concentrating his chakra into his arm, surrounding it with a thick layer of stone to absorb the blow.

But this choice proved to be his most fatal mistake, and he realized it immediately when the brutal fist struck his arm. The stone shattered instantly, revealing the fractured bone that elicited a cry of pain from him. Then, drawing on his last reserves of energy, he hastily retreated from his opponent, aware of his momentary vulnerability.

"Damn it! Who are you?" exclaimed Fuji, still stunned to be so easily dominated by a simple woman. But no answer reached him, except that she rushed towards him again. He had to escape, or he would perish. He leaped into the air once more, stupefied to see the young warrior violently strike the ground where he had stood moments before. A crater formed under the impact, widening Fuji's eyes.

"What kind of strength is this?!" exclaimed the squad leader, before rushing towards the edge of the forest, praying that his comrades were safe.

Sakura adjusted her kunai in her hand, ready to throw it at the fleeing man. Firmly anchoring herself to the ground, she threw it with the legendary force that characterized her.

However, Fuji managed to dodge it at the last moment, and the projectile violently lodged into a tree. In reality, it did not pass through, but demolished the tree, pulverizing a trunk over thirty centimeters wide. Fuji remained speechless at the astonishing sight of the tree collapsing to the ground. If he had been hit by that attack, he would have been condemned without appeal. This realization allowed fear to infiltrate Fuji's heart, especially when he saw a second assailant emerge from the forest, a dire sign that his comrades had likely perished.

Before he could even consider a strategy, his brown-clad adversary rushed towards him, plunging his blade into his body. Death seemed inevitable. Exhausted, overwhelmed by pain, and paralyzed by the blade piercing him, Fuji let go of his weapon and desperately tried to remove the straw hat hiding his attacker's identity. Madara did nothing to stop him, allowing Fuji to catch a glimpse of the legendary Uchiha Madara just before death claimed him.

They should have fled from the start.

With Fuji's death, Sakura turned to the villagers, frozen in uncertainty.

In the midst of chaos, a glimmer of hope emanated from Sakura's assured voice. "It's okay! We're your allies, here to rescue you," she declared with palpable conviction, while a compassionate smile graced her lips. At these words, a sigh of relief escaped the peasants, who rushed towards the wounded and the deceased. But as Sakura made her way through the chaos, she heard moans and cries of agony coming from one of the collapsed houses. Without a moment's hesitation, she rushed to clear the rubble and discovered two trapped individuals. A woman and her child. The mother, in a protective gesture, had managed to shield her child from the debris, but she herself was trapped under a fallen beam, her legs severely injured.

Sakura lifted the beam with a gesture as fluid as water gliding over the surface of a peaceful lake, freeing the young woman from her wooden prison. With an almost supernatural delicacy, she placed the wounded woman on the rocky ground before activating her Medical Ninjutsu, a manifestation of mystical power that seemed to defy the very laws of reality. The inhabitants, spellbound, could only watch in awe as this healing magic, seeming the work of the gods themselves, unfolded before them.

"Fear not, the pain will soon fade," reassured Sakura in a gentle voice as the broken bones regained their integrity under her expert hands. No nerves or tendons had been affected, only the fragile bone structures had yielded under the weight of the impact.

The fragile voice of a young woman broken by the event then rose, filled with curiosity and gratitude tinged with disbelief: "Who... who are you?"

"Me? I'm Sakura," she replied with a smile whose warmth seemed to soothe even the most troubled hearts. "Everything should be restored now. You can get up."

And as if touched by divine grace, the young woman stood up without apparent difficulty. Incredulity painted her face as she realized that her life, seemingly destined for pain and immobility, suddenly took an unexpected turn.

"A thousand thanks, from the bottom of my heart!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with boundless gratitude, before humbly bowing to the one who had brought light into the darkness of her existence.

"It's nothing, miss, please rise," declared Sakura with a calm and assured voice, before turning to the other villagers, who stared at her with wide eyes, while some mourned their dead. "Are there any other wounded?"

No response came from the villagers. As she surveyed the scene, she noticed Madara returning, carrying two bodies in his arms, which he added to the already grim pile. Gathering the corpses of the Tsuchi No Kuni Shinobi, he then approached Sakura.

"How can we thank you for saving us, strangers?" asked an elderly man, who seemed to be the village chief.

"By living," replied Madara with a strong voice, drawing everyone's attention. What you endured today is only the prelude. A global war is looming, and you will be the first targets. Small villages will be pillaged, ravaged, turned into battlefields in the coming conflict.

"What? But that's horrible!" exclaimed the village chief, sparking turmoil among the crowd.

"I refuse to die!" protested one of the villagers, his words echoing the fears of his peers.

"We should flee!" added another villager, anxiety written on his face.

"Silence!" ordered Madara with a voice tinged with a thinly veiled threat. The effect was immediate, every noise around him dissipated. He stood there, a leader by nature, emerging from the shadows to take his rightful place. He was no longer the man who lurked in the darkness. He was Uchiha Madara.

"We know of a safe haven where you can live in peace, shielded from the imminent threats of war," he declared with conviction. "We are here to warn as many people as possible before the conflict erupts. We come from a country that has obtained the right of neutrality for the upcoming battle."

"Where is this sanctuary located?" asked the old man, a glimmer of hope emerging in his wrinkled eyes.

Was it the fear he had felt? Or perhaps the imposing presence of this man? Or the wonders they had accomplished? Whatever the reason, a budding trust emanated from him towards Madara.

"Head northeast, towards Heiwa!" proclaimed Madara fervently. "There you will find shelter, food, a new home, and honorable work. It's a sanctuary where you can live freely and safely."

Then, without providing further details, Madara headed towards the corpses of the ninjas, leaving the villagers in the turmoil of their thoughts.

"What should we do, chief?" asked several voices, filled with uncertainty.

It was customary to consult the village chief for such decisions. Currently, he stood there, lost in thought, weighing the options before them. Should they remain in these lands? Should they seek help from Konoha? Or accept the enigmatic man's offer? After all, what did they, simple villagers, care about Konoha's attention? If the stranger's words were true and war was looming, why had no help been sent? Thus burdened with these questions, the village chief made his decision.

"Gather your belongings, for our safety, we leave!" he announced firmly, triggering a frenzied movement among the villagers as they rushed to their respective homes to gather their belongings.

"And what should we do with the bodies, Madara-san?" asked Sakura, observing the deceased shinobi before them.

"Retrieve all the headbands and leave one here. This will inform Konoha of our situation," replied Madara, detaching the enemies' distinctive insignias with methodical precision.

"Should we cremate the bodies?" Sakura inquired, once the headbands were sealed in a specially prepared parchment.

"No, you will also seal them. They may prove useful in the future," explained Madara imperiously, aligning the bodies to facilitate Sakura's work. She summoned a large scroll in a swirl of smoke, carefully unfolding it on the ground. Sitting cross-legged in front of him, she began a complex series of hand seals before pressing them against the spread-out parchment.

"Fûin!" exclaimed Sakura, thus sealing the ten bodies in the parchment with silent determination.

"Do you understand now why I insisted we leave?" questioned Madara, observing Sakura disperse the large scroll.

"Yes, I must admit you were right about that," she conceded, straightening up. She would never have suspected that the Land of Earth would react so swiftly. After all, history books barely touched on wars, carefully avoiding details.

In less time than it took to say it, an improvised caravan took shape under the guidance of the villagers, assisted by Sakura. She endeavored to embody kindness, genuine concern, ensuring the well-being of each one. Dealing with the inhabitants' questions about this enigmatic city named Heiwa, she made efforts to ease their fears and instill a glimmer of hope in their troubled souls.

Sakura approached the village chief as they prepared to leave, whispering words meant for him alone.

"Head towards Ta No Kuni and its capital. Once there, tell one of the guards that you come for true peace," she explained with a benevolent smile.

"Understood, and thank you again for everything, strangers," replied the village chief with gratitude. "Let's go!"

Thus, nearly one hundred and eighty people left the village without a backward glance. They did not have the luxury of lamenting their losses; their safety came first.

"I'll leave you to seal the remaining provisions in the granaries and silos. I'll scour the village and gather anything that might be useful to us," he declared before walking away, determined to use every resource at their disposal to ensure their survival.

Thus, Sakura headed towards the food reserves that could not be taken by the caravan, now vanished on the horizon towards Ta No Kuni. When she discovered the extent of the provisions, she couldn't help but congratulate herself on mastering Fûinjutsu, for the loss would have been devastating. Once again, she summoned a large scroll which she carefully placed on the ground. This time, she had to encircle the parchment with crates and barrels. The process took her nearly an hour, but relief and satisfaction washed over her as she uttered the sealing word.

"Fûin!"

In these reserves lay enough to last through an entire winter, if not more, at least for a modest village of two hundred souls. Each commodity took on an invaluable value as war threatened to descend. When she found Madara again, she watched him move the villagers' bodies to different parts of the village, a task just as essential to ensure their safety.

"Why are you doing this?" Sakura asked, curious.

"I don't want the truth of what happened here to be discovered, so I'm scattering the bodies to make it appear that some were captured," explained Madara as he placed the last corpse near a house. "Are you finished, Sakura-san?"

"Yes."

"Perfect. I'll leave you to destroy some houses and sow chaos. Use as many Doton techniques as possible to incriminate the Land of Earth and divert suspicion towards them," he ordered before heading towards the wheat fields.

Once there, he concentrated his chakra in his lungs and formed two hand seals.

"Katon: Gokakyuu No Jutsu," he pronounced, unleashing a deluge of flames that engulfed the fields for hundreds of meters. With heat and intensity so fearsome, the flames would spread at lightning speed, devouring the crops in their path. Meanwhile, he heard the crash of Doton techniques deployed by Sakura and even the dull rumble of the granary explosion, shattered into thousands of fragments by cleverly placed explosives. A fleeting admiration filled him as he watched this woman and her methods.

"Let's head to one of the vassal countries, let's avoid being on site when Konoha arrives," he suggested calmly.

"Understood."