He Didn't Run?

Hmm? Dodai's startled cry rang out beside him. The Third Raikage's eyes shifted slightly to the left, where two rapidly spinning Shuriken, accompanied by the screech of metal against metal, curved out from his left shoulder toward his right.

Almost at the same time, a similar metallic scraping sound came from his right shoulder.

That brat? He didn't run...

In that instant, a rather unexpected thought flashed through the Third Raikage's mind. Then he turned to Dodai and said, "Fall back, Dodai!"

"Third Raikage-sama, watch out!"

With the Third Raikage reflected in his eyes, Dodai tilted his head back slightly, dodging one of the two Shuriken circling in from the Raikage's right. At the same time, he pushed off the ground and rapidly retreated, avoiding another Shuriken circling in from below.

In the brief span of those words, the four Shuriken had already swept around from both sides. The Third Raikage turned slightly to face behind him, and in the next second, the Steel Wires tied to the ends of the four Shuriken encircled him completely.

The Third Raikage's gaze followed the enclosing Steel Wires all the way to the boy standing beside a giant tree at the edge of the primeval forest, his feet planted on the grass as he lifted the Steel Wire in his hand toward his mouth.

The Sharingan?

Hiruzen Sarutobi really went all out!

At that moment, a grave thought passed through his mind.

"Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!"

Then, four Kunai shot down from above at an angle, pinning the four circling Shuriken—each moving at a different speed—into the grass around him with perfect accuracy.

"Screech!"

In an instant, the enclosing Steel Wires abruptly tightened, binding his arms tightly enough to nearly cut into his bronze skin, which was as hard as steel.

*He didn't