Red Haired Supremacy

Chapter 184 184: Ch-184 The War Day.

Night had fallen over the Uzumaki village, and with it came the strict curfew placed on the civilians. The streets were nearly empty, not because people didn't want to step outside, but because they weren't allowed to. The Uzumaki police force was patrolling every corner, keeping a close eye on the village and making sure no one broke the rules or caused trouble—especially now, when war was practically knocking on their doors.

Their job wasn't glorious, but it was necessary: protect the civilians, maintain order, and stop anything suspicious before it turned into something worse.

After finishing the meeting with the Uzushiogakure Academy graduates—the same group set to head into battle soon—Benimaru made his way to the guest building. Those students were talented, but young, and the fact that he had just been chosen to lead them still felt heavy. Even so, he walked with confidence, determined not to let his new squad down.

He slid open the door to the room where Kurenai and Shinku had been staying. The lamplight inside made the place feel warm compared to the tense air outside.

Benimaru looked at Kurenai and said, "It seems you're fully recovered now. Your injuries are completely healed."

Kurenai gave a relieved nod.

"Yes. It's all thanks to Ms. Erza. She treated me and fully healed me."

Benimaru nodded back.

"Yeah. Erza Onee-san is one of the best healing ninja in the world."

Benimaru's expression shifted, the casual air from before fading away. He looked at both Kurenai and Shinku with a steady, serious gaze before speaking.

"For now," he said slowly, "I'm sorry, but you two won't be allowed to move around the village freely. The war is too close, and I'm sure you understand the precautions we have to take. Even if I personally trust you, the sudden appearance of two unfamiliar shinobi in Uzushiogakure could easily cause panic or confusion among the people. So it's better if you both remain inside the Uzumaki guest house for the time being."

He paused for a moment before adding, "After the war, if either of you wish to stay here, I'll make sure a proper house is arranged and that the clan provides whatever you need. But we'll discuss all that once this conflict is finished."

Shinku nodded right away, already aware of the kinds of decisions war forced onto people.

"We understand," he said. "And really, we wouldn't be of much help in the first place. We're not Uzushiogakure shinobi. We'll stay put and make sure we don't get in the way of anything."

Benimaru gave a firm nod in return, relieved that there was no disagreement.

With everything said, Benimaru left Shinku and Kurenai to settle in and prepare themselves for the long days ahead.

Outside, the entire Uzushiogakure village was moving at full capacity. Every available resource, every skilled hand, and every ounce of sealing knowledge passed down through generations was being put to use.

Traps had already been laid across the outskirts of the island from old times, but now they were being reinforced, layered over with newer sealing formulas and barrier techniques to ensure nothing slipped through. Erza was overseeing all this.

By the time dawn broke, the atmosphere in the village had completely changed.

And then, at last, the day arrived.

The combined forces of Kirigakure and Kumogakure were closing in on Uzushiogakure. Instead of marching together in a single army, they split into separate routes, circling around the Land of Uzumaki to surround the island completely. Their goal was obvious—trap Uzushiogakure from all sides and crush it without giving the Uzumaki clan any room to escape.

Just like the last time they came, the enemy planned a coordinated attack from multiple directions, led by elite shinobi handpicked from both villages. Whether they succeeded or not remained to be seen—but one thing was already fixed in everyone's minds: who the biggest threat on the battlefield would be.

The Raikage and the Mizukage both had their eyes on one opponent—Shanks Uzumaki, leader of the Uzumaki clan and the Uzukage of Uzushiogakure. He stood as the single largest obstacle between them and victory.

And out of the two leaders, the Raikage in particular was determined to take Shanks down himself.

The Raikage had already made one thing very clear.

He ordered the Mizukage not to interfere in his fight with Shanks under any circumstances. The Raikage wanted that showdown to be his and his alone. Instead, he instructed the Mizukage to focus on the other members of the Uzumaki clan and deal with Shanks' siblings and support.

The Mizukage had agreed, at least on the surface. Whether he would actually honor that promise once battle started was another story entirely. But up until now, it looked like he was sticking to the plan.

Soon after, the fleets of Kirigakure and Kumogakure fully encircled the Land of the Uzumaki. Ships dotted the waters in every direction like a blockade wall, cutting off any path in or out.

One by one, their shinobi leapt down from the vessels and landed calmly on the surface of the sea, chakra pooled beneath their feet. These were trained shinobis, experienced enough that even standing on churning waters felt like solid ground to them.

Kumogakure's ships, in particular, were loaded with an array of heavy weapons—cannons, launchers, and other engineered artillery the village favoured. Most of the time, tools like these were useless against skilled shinobi, but Kumogakure never treated them as an afterthought.

In the hands of the right operator, and against clustered targets, even a cannonball could devastate a squad of ninja—or wipe them out entirely. So no matter how advanced or traditional the weapon, nothing could be dismissed outright.

Shanks was already waiting for them. He stood at the very front of the island's shoreline, cloak carried by the wind, eyes fixed on the approaching vessels—one belonging to the Mizukage, the other to the Raikage. The two Kage stared back with equal intensity, neither side willing to look away first.

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