Glug, glug!
The scalding water kept bursting into bubbles, sending white vapor drifting upward and spreading the pungent smell of sulfur in every direction.
Within the profound darkness,
Only a barrier floating atop the boiling lake emitted a faint white glow.
Crack, crack!
Fragments of rock and dust kept falling from the volcanic Cliff Face.
The entire environment was like a boiling kettle with its spout plugged shut, pressure constantly building within.
The searing air made it hard to breathe.
The temperature had at one point reached fifty to sixty degrees Celsius.
Even Uchiha Ci, despite being a ninja, could not stop his vision from swimming in such an environment.
A stifling sense of danger lurked in the depths like a venomous snake waiting to strike.
Uchiha Ci's vision blurred, and through the barrier's white light, he seemed to see a death omen star flickering madly in the pitch-black Night Sky!
He seemed to see his great-grandmother waving at him from the night sky.
At that thought, Uchiha Ci's spirits suddenly lifted.
He was awake. Completely awake!
He gradually understood everything.
This place was a volcano created by the Kumogakure Ninja Dodai's ninjutsu, and beneath him lay that boiling spring.
Th-this was the perfect burial ground, wasn't it!?
What did it mean when they said there was always a way when the cart reached the mountain, and another village beyond the willow shade!
Originally,
Uchiha Ci had thought he had spent his money, his Exploding Tag had failed to detonate, and he had nearly turned the tables against the odds and beaten up a Kumogakure Jonin.
Then Great Elder Uchiha Setsuna had made a threat practically equivalent to blowing himself up,
And those two Kumogakure men had looked so frightened they were nearly ready to flee overnight by train.
B-but-but-but, who could have expected—
Boss Dodai would turn around and hand him something huge!
Earth Style: Earth Rising Excavation created the volcano, while Futton: Rubber River sealed it shut.
The volcano erupted, and the boiling spring surged!
Temperatures and pressure exceeding one hundred degrees, Earth and Stone impacts, plus a literal full-body bath in boiling water.
Wasn't that certain death?
It was practically a perfect Combined Ninjutsu!
Uchiha Ci was nearly moved to tears,
This time, this was thanks to Boss Dodai for gifting him a big volcano!
Damn it, trying to scam some protection money was way too hard!
While Uchiha Ci was moved to tears, Kumogakure Ninja Moroi on the other side was already boiling with rage.
It was the ninja world's realistic version of: you're hot, I'm boiling.
Moroi glared fiercely at Uchiha Ci, who looked as though he had been frightened into tears, without the slightest trace of sympathy in his heart.
There was only hatred!
His eyes were bloodshot, the skin on his face twisted grotesquely, and veins bulged across his forehead.
Because of this brat, because of him!
Dodai had sold him out without hesitation, using Earth Rising Excavation to toss both him and his barrier straight into the volcano!
Moroi had never felt so desperate in his life.
The suppressed fury nearly burst through his chest.
He glared furiously at Uchiha Ci and roared in a distorted voice:
"Uchiha Ci!"
"It's all your fault! All your fault!"
"If it weren't for you, how would I have ended up like this!?"
Moroi clenched his fists, his eyes wide with fury as he nearly crazily roared:
"I'm going to kill you!"
"I'll definitely kill you!"
However,
Upon hearing that, Uchiha Ci was delighted rather than alarmed!
Looking at the furious Moroi, he nearly applauded him on the spot.
Wonderful, this guy actually wanted to kill me!
It was like bungee jumping outside the atmosphere, only to suddenly realize you had forgotten to bring a parachute!
It was simply two good things at once!
Facing Moroi's gaze, which looked like it wanted to rush over and chew off his scalp, Uchiha Ci suppressed the wild joy in his heart and nodded calmly.
"Good. Very spirited!"
He suddenly opened his eyes. To ensure Moroi's anger reached the threshold, he even deliberately raised his brow and put on the disdainful, aloof, unruly expression of a Uchiha Sasuke,
Then Uchiha Ci gave a contemptuous snort and said coolly:
"Before these eyes, your struggle is meaningless!"
With that,
Sharingan, activate!
Moroi's twisted expression reflected in his crimson pupils as the Single Tomoe slowly spun.
Like the most exquisite work of art in the world.
No more words were needed. With just that, the aura of a King of Show-off naturally arose.
Anyone who saw him would want to rush over, hang him up, and give him a vicious beating!
Clearly, Moroi had no way to resist this show-off technique, one that was at least ten years ahead of the current ninja world.
His nostrils flared, and veins rose one after another on his forehead.
The next moment,
Moroi stomped through the surface of Boiling Water Lake, kicking up a surging cloud of white vapor as he charged over with a savage expression.
However, Uchiha Ci merely shifted slightly to the side and dodged Moroi's rapid punch.
Then he slashed at Moroi's backhand with a blade.
Kumo-ryū: Inner Slash!
Learned and used on the spot.
Uchiha Ci launched a kick into Moroi's face, sending him flying backward, then coolly added:
"Give it up. I've already completely seen through your movements!"
"Aaaaaaah!"
Moroi's rage reached its limit. Ignoring his body, already exhausted to the extreme, he formed Hand Seals with both hands and slammed them onto the boiling lake's surface:
"Dharma Seal: Lightning Kill Bind!"
Uchiha Ci was suddenly startled. He had not expected his opponent to still be able to use ninjutsu, and immediately tried to dodge sideways.
But water conducted electricity—the altered environment indirectly increased the speed at which Moroi could cast his technique.
A dazzling bolt of lightning raced over, forming a huge character for "lightning" beneath Uchiha Ci's feet.
Four Lightning Spike chains pierced through him, firmly locking Uchiha Ci in place and making it difficult for him to move widely.
Moroi revealed a savage smile,
Then,
Splash.
He fell into the scalding boiling water.
Glug, glug!
Beneath the surface, Moroi's mouth opened and closed, terror written across his face as his eyes bulged wide and his limbs flailed weakly.
The scalding water quickly cooked the edges of his body.
Plop!
A huge bubble rose to the surface.
Moroi, the Special Jonin of Kumogakure, the future Squad Leader of the Kumogakure Barrier Squad, a powerful ninja capable of creating thirty-six Regenerative Barriers,
Fell silent forever.
With Moroi's death, the Dharma Seal of Lightning Kill Bind gradually faded.
Uchiha Ci was instantly dumbfounded.
"No, bro, hold on for two more seconds?"
"Walk over here and stab me! Damn it!"
He had no Chakra left, yet he still forced himself to use ninjutsu without even leaving enough to perform Water Walking.
Were the Kumogakure brothers all this hot-tempered?
Uchiha Ci stood where he was, gasping heavily.
After fighting to this point, he truly had no strength left at all.
Watching the barrier's light slowly fade before him, and the darkness gradually swallow everything.
Uchiha Ci let out a relieved breath.
Reflected in the scalding spring, he looked at his own face.
A face that had once been handsome and charming, the kind that made people want to give it a hard pinch to test how tender it was.
Now it was covered in soot, sand, blood, wounds, pitch-black squid ink, and sweat.
He looked just like a miner who had crawled out of a coal pit.
Uchiha Ci suddenly gave a low chuckle, looking beneath the water's surface at the boiling spring that had reached its critical point.
It was about to erupt.
He imagined the coming image of collapsing mountains, surging springs, and heaven and earth pouring backward.
"So this is the end of my road."
Uchiha Ci collapsed onto the water's surface, gave a quiet laugh, and wore an expression of relief.
He was truly exhausted.
However,
Just then—
A Golden Flame suddenly lit up amid the darkness!
Like the first beam of light that split heaven and earth apart!
A familiar explosive shout rang beside Uchiha Ci's ear:
"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"
Chapter 22 has been revised. As of this chapter, the first arc of this book has come to an end.
Next will be an entirely new Land of Hot Water arc: Ritual of the Evil God.
Yes, it's the one from the synopsis.
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