Engagement Begins

The Fuma Shuriken, Explosive Tags, Flash Bombs—so many of these things had actually been developed by the Uchiha Clan. The proud Uchiha disdained doing low-end business like ordinary kunai and shuriken, so they came up with all sorts of strange items to sell instead.

Among them were deadly tools like Explosive Tags, which had become popular throughout the ninja world, as well as awkward products like the Fuma Shuriken, which could only be sold internally. Overall, though, the Uchiha were unquestionably one of the great clans of the ninja world. Whether in overall strength, elite experts, or economic power, they were first-rate.

Their only flaw was their awkward, prideful temperament. It was precisely that disposition that had kept their clan from ever fully integrating into Konoha, and that sense of being neither close nor distant had never faded.

Of course, that was getting off topic. Katsuki's six shadow clones, together with his original body, made seven people in all. They stood in a concave arc, pressing forward with shuriken from the left and right front, forming an impenetrable net.

He had studied shuriken techniques with the siblings Otoha and Otome. He could not reach the monstrous level of the Uchiha Clan, but his skill had improved greatly. His training in the Land of Rain had further given him practical experience, allowing him to hit moving targets.

Clang!

The sound was especially crisp. The Senju Clan's grounds were quiet, making every stray noise all the more distinct.

Katsuki's heart sank. What rotten luck—this guy used Earth Release. In the moonlight, he could see the man's palm darken in color as it easily knocked aside the incoming shuriken.

But on second thought, it was not surprising. Among ANBU, Earth Release and Lightning Release ninja were the most common. Earth Release's stealth capabilities were exceptionally suited to ANBU work, while Lightning Release's short-distance bursts were a specialty that could prove tremendously useful in many situations.

But now, Katsuki began considering how to knock down this ANBU member and carve out a path forward.

It was an arrogant idea. ANBU's strength was no boast; it had been built atop countless lives. Anyone who could enter ANBU was talented.

The shadow clones gripped kunai and launched probing attacks, rapidly closing in on the ANBU member wearing a dog-faced mask. The shuriken had become too weak at this range to break through the Hardening Technique's defense, so they would test close-range attacks instead.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Like popping balloons, the ANBU member blew apart Katsuki's shadow clones. Their skills were not even on the same level. This was unlike sparring with Sakumo; perhaps this man was holding back, but he clearly had no intention of playing nicely with Katsuki.

After destroying the shadow clones, the ANBU member strode toward the three of them. Though he did not dare strike too hard, restraining the three little brats for the time being would not be a problem.

"I'm joining too."

It was Minato who shouted. Even the mild-mannered boy revealed a trace of fierceness.

He was very smart. The appearance of ANBU was enough to show that Kushina's situation was tied to Konoha's upper ranks. It was not something a student like him could interfere with. But truly intelligent people never backed down from difficulty. He would not retreat, especially not when this was for Kushina.

Katsuki had been vague. Though Minato could not grasp what exactly had happened, it was enough to know that this matter was dangerous.

"Together."

Otome pulled a kunai from Katsuki's Ninja Tool Bag. Her pretty little face was filled with unshakable determination as she assumed a stance.

"I have to see Sister Kushina."

There was more than one smart person. Katsuki's mouth twitched, but he had no time to argue. The ANBU member was already closing in.

Shadow Clone Technique.

Katsuki desperately cast the Shadow Clone Technique again and again. At this moment, he especially missed the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique. It could create hundreds or thousands of clones at once. Why did he have to go through so much trouble now?

From the start, the battle had been one-sided. The man had trained in Earth Release, and it was the Hardening Technique at that. His close-combat ability was easy to imagine. Shadow clones were destroyed one after another, and pale chakra smoke was scattered by hands as hard as black iron.

Earth Release, Rock Rods.

Three shadow clones pounced forward and seized the ANBU member's hands and feet. Then the original body released a ninjutsu. Stone pillars erupted from the ground, brutally piercing through one clone and the white smoke before slamming into the ANBU member's abdomen.

A shrill, teeth-grating screech rang out. Katsuki's expression darkened. The Hardening Technique was far too troublesome. Even that could not injure him.

"Don't waste your effort. Even if you are all geniuses, saplings that have not grown up are still only saplings. Surrender quietly. I will not hurt you." The ANBU member shattered the stone pillar with one punch and stared at the three children.

Shadow Clone Technique.

Earth Release, Rock Rods.

Clone and original body alike released Rock Rods simultaneously. There was no other choice; it was the only offensive ninjutsu he had mastered. Fortunately, when used together with shadow clones, it was quite imposing. Stone pillars sprang up one after another like bamboo shoots after rain, shooting toward the ANBU member.

The narrow alley was packed with broken stone pillars.

Minato and Otome stood to the side, somewhat awkward. They could not get a hand in at all!

The ANBU member had not expected Katsuki to be so tenacious. He used shadow clones to restrain the man's movements, then wiped out both the ANBU member and his own clones together. Those stone pillars truly caused him quite a bit of trouble. Maintaining full-body hardening consumed a great deal of chakra.

And had this kid not already had nearly a hundred shadow clones blown apart? Added to that were the Rock Rods. Though it was only a C-rank ninjutsu, it did not consume much less chakra. Yet the red-haired boy's expression remained unchanged, without the slightest sign of exhaustion.

Katsuki was gritting his teeth and holding on as well. An ANBU member without killing intent, who had held back from the start, had still made him understand the meaning of pressure. If he had not killed and seen blood in the Land of Rain, he might not have been able to remain this calm. Beside him, Otome was so agitated that her breathing had become ragged.

"Katsuki, keep him occupied. Otome and I will give it a try," Minato said in a low voice. Then he quickly walked over to Otome and began speaking quietly to her...

Time was neither long nor short. Three to five minutes had already passed, yet the ANBU member still had not taken down the three children.

Irritation began to rise within him.

Of course, he was not the only one guarding the area. It was simply that the others did not think there was any need to reveal themselves. If it took all of them to deal with three children, then ANBU might as well go home and sleep. What would be the point of having them?

The dog-masked ANBU member had been very confident at first. What could three little brats possibly do?

Yet reality was merciless. He had been tied down by children and had failed to take down the three of them even after five minutes. Granted, he did not dare go all out, but failure was still failure. He could already foresee becoming the laughingstock of his colleagues, perhaps even receiving punishment for it.

Without realizing it, he put more strength into his hands. He brutally smashed through the stone pillars thrusting up before him like an enraged bull.

Fire Release, Great Fireball Technique.

Wind Release, Great Breakthrough.