Greatly Increased Strength, Spy Infiltration

A few days later.

Deep in the night, all was silent.

Uchiha Tunan sat under the eaves, forming hand seals at a steady rhythm.

His speed was neither fast nor slow, and he closed his eyes to carefully sense the flow of chakra.

The last hand seal was completed.

Uchiha Tunan extended his right hand, fingers spread.

"Zzzz~"

Thin arcs of electricity flickered at his fingertips, like sharp needles growing from his fingernails.

"Chakra's shape transformation, huh? Too bad this Lightning Needle can't be thrown like a senbon."

Uchiha Tunan muttered to himself, then retracted the jutsu.

The hand seals for Lightning Style: Lightning Needle weren't many. Once his spiritual power increased a bit more and he became familiar with chakra circulation, he could probably release it without the aid of hand seals.

This move could be a good choice for ambushing someone.

He imagined himself chatting and laughing with his prey, then casually stabbing the Lightning Needle into their body.

The lightning chakra could also paralyze the target's body, preventing them from feeling pain at first, so they wouldn't scream immediately.

By the time they reacted, he could combine it with Lightning Style: Earth Run to completely paralyze them.

Yeah, not bad.

Currently, Uchiha Tunan had mastered numerous ninjutsu.

Fire Style included Great Fireball, Phoenix Sage Fire, and Phoenix Sage Flower Crimson.

Lightning Style included Earth Run and Lightning Needle.

Genjutsu included Mirror Heaven and Earth Turning and Hell Viewing Technique, and of course, the hypnotic eye that came with the Sharingan.

His chakra reserves were at the level of a Special Jonin, but his spiritual power was unknown.

All in all, his current strength provided Uchiha Tunan with some sense of security.

These past few days, Uchiha Tunan had also raised a few White Pigeons.

Ninja Beasts were a bit costly, mainly because their specialized feed was expensive.

Uchiha Tunan was a person who lacked a sense of security, so he placed great importance on these reconnaissance ninja beasts.

He used the most expensive feed.

Even though White Pigeons didn't eat much.

The living expenses left by his parents were almost completely spent.

If not for Hiruzen Sarutobi occasionally sending Anbu to bring him food, Uchiha Tunan would have had to hunt wild beasts in the forest to survive.

He didn't know when the battle casualty compensation would be issued.

Uchiha Tunan looked up at the sky, then got up and went inside to rest.

As soon as he entered the bedroom, Uchiha Tunan was about to turn off the lights and sleep when his steps suddenly paused. His Three Tomoe Sharingan spun.

"I hope they're not looking for me."

With that, Uchiha Tunan withdrew his hand, which was about to turn off the light, and picked up his compiled work, "Will of Fire and Thought," to read aloud.

In the forest outside the Uchiha Clan Compound in Konoha.

A Konoha ninja wearing Chunin attire pushed aside the grass in front of him and peeked out stealthily.

"I hope the Uchiha clan hasn't assigned that person to the center of the compound yet."

He then shifted his gaze to a small courtyard on the edge of the Uchiha Clan Compound.

He saw a dim light emanating from a house in that small courtyard, with a hazy silhouette projected onto the window.

"That must be the house. Still not asleep this late? Are all of Konoha's geniuses this hardworking?"

This Konoha Chunin was named Inoue Shinta, a spy sent by Kirigakure to Konoha shortly after the First Great Ninja War.

Throughout the Second Great Ninja War, Inoue Shinta had only delivered a few unimportant messages and had not received any new espionage missions.

The recent localized war was nearing its end, and Kirigakure planned to carry out an assassination before the war concluded, targeting a Konoha genius.

One Jonin-level spy had gone to Kakashi's house, while Inoue Shinta was assigned to assassinate the less difficult Uchiha Tunan.

After all, Kakashi's father was Konoha's White Fang, and his child might have Anbu secretly guarding him.

But Uchiha Tunan was different. He was a member of the Uchiha clan, and Anbu likely wouldn't come to the Uchiha Clan Compound to monitor him.

Furthermore, the guarding ninjas of the Uchiha Clan Compound were mostly focused on the central areas.

The howling of wild beasts occasionally echoed through the forest, sending shivers down one's spine.

But for a Chunin like Inoue Shinta, the howling of wild beasts actually made him feel a little more at ease.

Inoue Shinta observed carefully for a while, confirming there were no signs of human activity nearby, before finally lowering his guard.

He shot out from the grass, turning into a black shadow, stealthily approaching Uchiha Tunan's house.

However, what he didn't expect was that his every move had already been seen by a white pigeon perched on a tree branch behind him.

The white pigeon stood quietly on the branch, its form concealed by the dense leaves.

Only a cold, deep Sharingan was visible.

"Uphold ninja principles, resolutely implement the Will of Fire centered around Lord Third Hokage.

Follow closely in Lord Third Hokage's footsteps..."

Inoue Shinta, prone on the rooftop, scoffed inwardly as he listened to the impassioned reading coming from inside the house.

Another poor soul brainwashed by the Will of Fire.

Without further delay, Inoue Shinta slowly drew his short blade, leaped from the rooftop, and landed softly.

His movements were fluid and silent, without the slightest disturbance.

A sinister grin on his face, he reached the door and pushed it open.

This area was far from the center of the Uchiha Clan Compound. Even if he made a sound, the ninjas wouldn't arrive in time.

Inoue Shinta saw Uchiha Tunan as nothing more than a student who had just entered the Ninja Academy.

So what if he awakened the Sharingan? He only had potential.

He wasn't even a Genin.

He couldn't possibly kill himself with the Three Body Technique, could he?

Inoue Shinta's mind conjured the terrified expression on Uchiha Tunan's face as he was stabbed through.

The moment the door was pushed open.

The light in the bedroom suddenly went out, plunging the entire room into darkness. The reading stopped abruptly.

This guy, truly a genius. His alertness is quite high.

But in the face of absolute strength, he was still doomed.

Inoue Shinta gripped his long sword tightly and walked step by step into the pitch-black room.

"Drip, drip..."

Inoue Shinta's ears twitched. He recognized the sound of dripping water from a faucet in the kitchen that hadn't been tightened properly.

He felt a flicker of annoyance, but the mission was important, so he ignored the minor details.

In the darkness, Inoue Shinta could vaguely make out the room's layout. His gaze was fixed on the bedroom door as he walked towards it.

He slowly reached out and placed his hand on the door.

Kid, say goodbye to this world.

A cruel smile spread across Inoue Shinta's face. He then yanked the door open, his right hand already raising his long sword, ready to strike down the defiant Uchiha Tunan.

However...

No one was there!

Inoue Shinta's heart skipped a beat. Standing at the bedroom doorway, he didn't know whether to advance or retreat. He began to ponder where Uchiha Tunan might be hiding.

His eyes scanned the simple layout of the bedroom. Besides the closet, there were no other places to hide.

If it were me, I'd hide by the door.

Using the blind spot to my advantage, launching a surprise attack from the side when the enemy enters.

But this kid is just a student. If he's a bit cowardly, he'd probably hide in the closet.

Inoue Shinta put himself in the other's shoes, took a deep breath, and calmed himself to listen.

Years of ninja experience had made him accustomed to caution.

If Uchiha Tunan were hiding by the door, he might be ambushed if he entered rashly.

Even if the chances of a successful ambush were slim.

What he needed to do now was to listen for the other's breathing to pinpoint his location and then deliver a killing blow.

"Drip, drip..."

Besides the dripping water, there was no sound of breathing.

As expected of a genius, seeing through my intentions.

But it's useless even if he saw through them.

You can't just stop breathing forever, can you?

Then I'll wait until you can't hold it in anymore.

A hint of amusement flashed in Inoue Shinta's eyes, as if mocking Uchiha Tunan's foolish strategy.

"Drip, drip..."

Time ticked by.

Inoue Shinta seemed to have transformed into the ultimate hunter in the darkness, patiently waiting for his prey to reveal itself.

"Hoo~"

Just then, a suppressed exhale came from inside the closet.