Time's Up
"... There are only twenty seconds left."
Calculating time based on heart rate, if you have a clock nearby, you'll find it's accurate to the second.
Timing is also an essential skill for ninjas. On the ever-changing battlefield, even a second's mistake can cost a person their life. It's about timing your attacks, calculating movement time, judging when the enemy will attack, and controlling the timing of your Ninjutsu activation.
The degree of time management is also one of the standards for judging the strength of a ninja.
Of course, it's difficult for ordinary junior Genin to accurately time things. On the battlefield, their hearts are pounding like drums, so they don't have the energy to calculate time.
Only Jonin have significant practical value, especially for skilled players like Sakumo and Minato who rely on technique. Timing is almost instinctive for them. Katsuki is somewhat rough in this regard, but since we're not in a state of high alert during wartime, we still have plenty of energy to do this.
"... Fifteen seconds have passed, looks like we're going to have to fight!"
Katsuki rubbed her shoulders. The argument on the steps had stopped sometime earlier. The old men had lifeless faces, but they still gritted their teeth and refused to back down.
"You've got guts! No wonder you're veterans from the Warring States period. With your guts, I'll show no mercy when time runs out... Ah! Five seconds left."
Raise your right hand high, spread your five fingers, and then curl them one by one, starting with your thumb, as your lips move.
"5...4...3...2..."
In the end, only the little finger remained upright.
"······one."
Retracting her clenched fist, Katsuki's lips curled into a smile.
"It seems like I'll have a good chance to visit Naka Shrine this time. It was too cold during the New Year, so I was too lazy to go out and pray. I've never thought about visiting shrines before either. To be honest, I've never been to a shrine in the village before. This should be my first time!"
He spoke with a smile as he climbed the steps one by one.
The Uchiha clansmen standing on the steps retreated hastily, while those Katsuki charged at Mizuki with bravado were thrown out in the blink of an eye, crashing to the ground with a remarkably clear sound of bones breaking.
"No way! Absolutely not! This won't stop me. Send more people, attack even harder, and since I can't dodge, you can attack without restraint."
Katsuki continued to provoke the Uchiha clan members around her.
He also had his own plans. After communicating with Fugaku in advance, he had a general idea of the internal conflicts within the Uchiha Clan. Those who opposed his relationship with Otome were mostly conservatives on the side of the Elder Council, and the reinforcements who came at this moment on the orders of the Elder Council were mostly staunch conservatives.
In other words, they are a group of people who don't like to break existing rules.
"If we scare you here, you won't have the guts to bark anymore."
The iron-gray fist gleamed with a metallic sheen, shattering the incoming Taiseki projectile into pieces. The shattered fragments shot out in all directions like bullets, Chunin the Chunin to scream and flee in terror.
"Lord of Heavenly Calamity, please wait! The main hall of the shrine cannot be desecrated..."
"Bang!!"
A punch to the face interrupted the person blocking his way.
The young man, clutching his bleeding nose, stumbled to the side, then lost his footing and tumbled down the steps like a gourd.
"Don't block the way."
Katsuki continued climbing the steps without stopping.
Not far away, under the pine trees.
"Hey, Katsuki, what are you planning to do? You don't actually intend to attack me, do you...?"
Otoha frowned, looking at Katsuki who was walking uphill step by step, feeling hesitant.
Before, the torii gate and the statue of the divine messenger were just minor damages, but if the main hall of the shrine were to be demolished, it would truly be a disgrace to the Uchiha Clan. If he continued to stand by and watch, he would inevitably become the target of attacks from the elders' council.
That's fine, anyway, he supports Fugaku, and he's long since fallen out with the Elders' Council.
However, the honor of the Uchiha Clan, his pride, and his beliefs prevented him from standing idly by and watching the main hall of the shrine be destroyed.
He was unsure what Katsuki would do next—would she merely reprimand the elders, or would she allow the situation to escalate further...?
"Otoha, what are you standing there for? Are you going to just watch me get destroyed, you little brat?"
Sixth Uncle was pulled down from the tree by Otoha. Now, he was sitting on the ground, hugging his broken leg and leaning against the old pine tree. He was cursing at Otoha, who was standing not far away, with spittle flying everywhere.
"······"
Otoha remained silent, her mind in turmoil, her eyes fixed on Katsuki's moving figure.
The steps weren't long; it only took about ten seconds to reach the top.
Step onto the approach to the main hall of the shrine, and walk straight along this blue stone-paved path to enter the main hall.
"Hey, senior colleagues, how are you?"
Katsuki smiled and waved.
However, that smile was particularly detestable in the eyes of the Uchiha Clan elders.
"Kid, don't be so arrogant." An elder with a bald head and a long white beard roared in anger. His Mitsudomoe Sharingan spun rapidly, and his thin, eagle-claw-like hands Hand Seals at an astonishing speed, a simple Tiger Seal.
Wow, that's amazing!
Katsuki gave a compliment.
To be able to omit the other hand seals and activate Ninjutsu with only the Tiger Seal is a level that can only be achieved with extremely profound mastery of Fire Style techniques.
Ultimately, he was able to serve as an elder of the Uchiha Clan, so he wasn't just a senile old fool; he still possessed some strength.
"Fire Style: Great Fire Dragon Technique"
A massive fire dragon suddenly soared into the air, rushing along the straight path towards the Katsuki at its end.
"It's impressive... but does getting old really mean your memory is failing? This kind of thing is useless to me now!" Katsuki clicked her tongue, watching the approaching fire dragon. Her right hand's five fingers were pressed together, and the bluish-white wind light rubbed violently together, yet remained silent.
However, just before he started cutting the fire dragon, a brilliant idea flashed into his mind.
"Let's try something new!"
The next instant, the fire dragon engulfed Katsuki.
"Oh! Hit!"
"As expected of the Elder."
"Sharp!!"
A tidal wave of gasps erupted.
It wasn't that the Uchiha clan members around them were flattering the elder; rather, their previous attacks had been utterly crushed by sheer force before they even reached Katsuki. They had tried Fire Style, Earth Release, Lightning Release, Wind Release, and Water Release, but none of them had been effective. So their current surprise was entirely genuine.
"Hey, what are you two arguing about? Do you think this move can do me any harm?"
It was as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head; his heart clenched, and nearly a hundred pairs of crimson eyes turned in unison to the end of the path. (To be continued)