Naruto: Choosing from Birth

Half an hour later.

A ghostlike figure darted swiftly into the lamplit cabin on the hillside.

The old man, Uehara Kensho, quietly watched the burning fireplace.

"I knew you'd come back."

"Did he... notice something?" The visitor's voice was sweet and pleasant, like dancing wind chimes.

"Perhaps. He said there was something off about my gait. Other than that, he didn't ask anything beyond the usual, and I didn't say anything."

"You should be thankful that no one from the Yamanaka Clan came this afternoon. But even they wouldn't get any secrets out of me. All right, since you came at this hour, stop putting on an act."

"If possible, bury me on this hillside. It's been decades. I quite like this place."

A faint smile appeared on Uehara Kensho's face as he spoke calmly. Anyone unaware of the situation would have thought he was talking about something unrelated to himself.

"Fine!"

Amid the pleasant reply, a trace of chill surfaced on that innocent, baby-fat face. A lock of long hair swayed in the wind...*

Clang!

The kunai aimed at Uehara Kensho's throat to end his life was blocked at the last instant by a gleaming ninja blade.

"Vice Captain! Didn't you go back?"

The attacker, Uchiha Rinne, asked in surprise.

"I'm surprised too. Didn't you return with the carriage as well, my little captain?"

Uchiha Cheng, who had been hiding in the cabin using the Transformation Technique, smiled faintly. "What? Trying to silence him? You held yourself back from showing up, but I didn't have a better way to make Uehara Kensho reveal the whereabouts of the high-ranking spy either. After all, he had long since accepted death, while you were unwilling to believe one of your own subordinates."

"So you set me up. Should I say that's worthy of the vice captain? Since you're so confident, I'll deal with both of you at once. Only dead people reduced to ashes are truly safe."

Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!

As she spoke, Uchiha Rinne leaped out of the cabin and fired a Great Fireball straight down at it.

Water Release: Water Formation Wall!

Another voice rang out from inside the cabin.

Boom!!!

The massive fireball slammed hard into the wall of water, sending up a vast cloud of steam!

Once the obstructing smoke cleared.

Uchiha Cheng and his guard, Uchiha Yuto, emerged from the completely unharmed cabin.

"I never said I would deal with you alone. All right, reveal your true identity. You can't possibly be Uchiha Rinne."

"Why?"

"Uchiha Rinne" asked in confusion.

"Because I'm the real one. As agreed, the moment the vice captain's Shadow Clone on the carriage dispersed was the moment I turned back."

At some point, the carriage that should have already departed had returned to the entrance of the ranch. The real Uchiha Rinne stepped down and, together with Cheng and Yuto, formed a triangular encirclement around the fake Rinne.

"When did you set this trap?"

A somewhat aged male voice came from the fake Rinne's mouth. Seeing the situation, he fully released the Transformation Technique and prepared to face the three Uchiha with all his strength.

He was none other than the First District squad captain, Uchiha Dai Boku! A veteran of the Konoha Military Police Force and its oldest active member.

"The moment we discovered that Uehara Kensho was a spy. The Uchiha Clan treated you well. Why betray the Uchiha and become someone else's spy?"

Uchiha Cheng frowned. Though he had suspected it long ago, learning that it was truly one of their own still pained him.

"There is no betrayal here. Strictly speaking, before the person I serve, you are the traitors!"

"And! Do you really think victory is already yours?"

The instant Uchiha Dai Boku finished speaking.

Uchiha Cheng immediately felt a powerful aura sweep toward him.

It felt as though the other man had suddenly become incomparably huge.

No! He really was growing! His body rose from the ground, his clothes rapidly splitting apart as his burly frame swelled to the height of dozens of stories. Thick beastly fur burst out across his entire body, and a ferocious maw roared at Uchiha Cheng from dozens of meters overhead.

In an instant, like a Category 12 hurricane, the turf on the hillside was ripped from the ground and swept toward them, blotting out the sky.

This was fucking—

A gorilla. No! Great Kong!

How was that possible?! Damn, it was genjutsu!

A hand gently rested on Uchiha Cheng's shoulder, calming the surging Chakra within him.

"Be careful! Senior Dai Boku's genjutsu is very strong!" Uchiha Yuto withdrew his hand, the three tomoe in his Sharingan spinning rapidly.

He then drew a kunai and rushed to support Rinne, who was already locked in combat with Dai Boku. Two wounds had appeared on her body.

Uchiha Cheng's "old face" reddened. He had actually fallen for it without even realizing.

They still lacked experience. Before the fight had even begun, these guys had already gone all out, fully activating their three-tomoe Sharingan.

Things had been going too smoothly lately, and Uchiha Cheng had let his guard down. As a result, he had nearly gotten himself into serious trouble.

Sure enough, in this ninja world where offense was generally high and defense low, there was always the danger of being overturned in the gutter.

Two-tomoe Sharingan, activate!

Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!

Eight Inner Gates, Second Gate: Gate of Healing, open!

Chidori!

Uchiha Cheng unleashed his full firepower! Three Shadow Clones and the original body lunged forward at once!

At that moment, Dai Boku wielded a ninja sword shimmering with Chakra. Its blade carried all manner of dazzling lights and easily parried Yuto and Suzune's attacks.

Dai Boku had already integrated his genjutsu into his swordsmanship.

Yuto and Suzune had to keep watch on both the enemy and each other at all times, ready to help whenever one of them was stunned by genjutsu!

Moreover, Dai Boku was incredibly fast. The two of them could not even open up enough distance to use ninjutsu.

Usually, he seemed approachable and ordinary, a squad captain in District One who had merely worked his way up through age and seniority.

Yet he was this powerful—and had hidden it so deeply!

A flash of lightning streaked past as a figure, trailing the crackling thunder of Chidori, viciously pierced through Dai Boku's body.

Unfortunately, it had only cut through an afterimage!

Dai Boku darted away at high speed, leaving a long afterimage behind him. The brilliantly glowing blade in his hand shone exceptionally bright under the moonlight.

Now!

Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!

Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!

Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!

The three Shadow Clones that had been preparing for so long seized the chance to unleash suppressive fire from every direction!

Boom!!!

A massive wave of flames swept outward, engulfing an area fifty meters in every direction.

Even using the Clone Technique or Substitution Technique now would only result in being roasted like a pig.

Suddenly, a pair of huge hands burst from the ground and violently dragged Suzune underground!

Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique!

While flames churned ahead, Suzune had already been restrained. Only her head remained above the ground, and her entire body was unable to move.

A real battle would never wait for the smoke and dust to clear and everything to settle before launching another attack!

Earth Release: Earth Tremor Technique!

Uchiha Yuto thrust both hands into the ground and hurriedly used a simple Earth Release technique, intending only to force Uchiha Dai Boku out and prevent Suzune from being beheaded outright!

Of course, if he refused to come out, then they would perish together. Let him see whether he could withstand the crushing pressure of the entire earth.

Rumble!

The entire hillside began to tremble lightly. Then, as more and more Chakra was poured into it, the shaking grew increasingly violent.