Do You Know the Masked Man?

"How is that possible?!"

The threat coming from behind nearly scared Uchiha Hikari out of his wits.

He was a powerful fighter close to Elite Jonin level. Even in his current condition, his attention was still at least sixty percent of what it was at his peak.

Yet sneaking up on him without making a sound was no feat an ordinary ninja could manage.

He forced power through his waist, twisting his entire body around.

At the instant the blade reached him, he managed to block the attack with a Kunai.

Staring at the masked enemy, Uchiha Hikari swiftly formed Hand Seals, not forgetting to demand, "Who are you?"

"What a stupid question." Kyosuke's hoarse voice rang out. He frowned slightly, thinking that this guy really was a tough one.

Using the space marker on the ground, he had closed to within two meters of him.

In theory, no one could escape his sudden slash.

But the man had managed to block it head-on, and he didn't even seem to be in that bad a state.

The higher the level, the greater the gap in strength between people of the same rank.

If his enemy had been in perfect condition, Kyosuke probably wouldn't have been able to take him down, even if it meant exposing his identity.

At best, they would have been evenly matched. With Flying Thunder God, Uchiha Hikari wouldn't have been able to do anything to him either.

But this guy had just been through a brutal battle. He'd nearly lost his life on the battlefield.

With his stamina and Chakra below the danger threshold, a one-on-one fight might give Kyosuke a chance to win.

Kyosuke formed a quick Hand Seal and appeared at the enemy's rear flank in an instant.

"What?!" Uchiha Hikari's eyes widened, and he forcibly interrupted the release of his jutsu.

Kyosuke used the Shisui Style Body Flicker Technique, appearing beside his enemy and giving him no chance to perform a jutsu.

One slash, two, three—

In the blink of an eye, he delivered seven consecutive slashes. His blade flashed with chilling sharpness, leaving a bloody gash on the enemy's left shoulder.

Of course, Kyosuke hadn't come away unscathed. He took a heavy kick to the abdomen, and it felt like he'd been hit by a car.

He rolled more than ten meters before finally coming to a stop against a large tree.

"Cough." Spitting out the blood in his mouth, Kyosuke slowly stood, his eyes brimming with murderous intent.

He'd known for a long time that the world of Naruto was one where people preyed on one another.

No, every world was like that. It was just more brazen here.

Ever since he'd personally dealt with the Three Clans' prisoners, he'd made a quiet resolution.

Anyone who dared stand in his way would die!

Kyosuke flicked the blood from his blade and crouched low, like a wild leopard watching its prey.

"Are you from the Uchiha?!" Uchiha Hikari's eyes widened as countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

A person's appearance could be concealed, and their build could be disguised, but their swordsmanship had ultimately given them away.

He might never have eaten pork, but he'd seen pigs run. He had so many subordinates that there were bound to be some who specialized in swordsmanship.

"So that's how it is. Good, good." The blood-covered man's expression held a hint of madness.

Rat—Tiger—Dog—Ox—Rabbit—Tiger!

His hands swiftly completed the Hand Seals. In an instant, flames like phoenix flower seeds appeared, blanketing the entire area thirty meters ahead.

Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu!

The flames were controlled by the caster's Chakra, making them difficult for an ordinary person to dodge completely.

His enemy's combat experience was formidable. In just two exchanges, he'd already figured out most of the rules behind Flying Thunder God.

Especially when he saw the symbols carved into the ground—he instantly understood how the jutsu worked.

"Teleporting around the symbols? What a terrifying jutsu." Uchiha Hikari sneered. He wanted to see who was trying to take him down.

A ninja battle was a battle of intelligence.

Even the Rinnegan couldn't avoid being countered once its abilities were exposed, let alone Flying Thunder God, which had plenty of limitations at present.

The Phoenix Sage Fire Hikari had unleashed had already covered all the marked coordinates.

Aside from enduring it head-on, the assassin had no way to counter it.

The fireballs fell like a downpour. Kyosuke really had nowhere to hide. If he chose to take the attack head-on, he might face a terrifying follow-up strike.

But who had ever said that the coordinates were only nearby?

With a simple flicker, he appeared by a river two kilometers away.

He washed his hands in the stream and rubbed his still-aching stomach. Only then did Kyosuke form a Hand Seal and return to the battlefield.

At the sight of this, Uchiha Hikari's brow furrowed so deeply it nearly creased in half.

"Looks like the jutsu has a long range." What had just happened made him realize that if his opponent wanted to leave, there was no way he could stop him.

However, the assassin's quick return also made him understand something else.

There was no need for him to worry. His opponent was the one who should be getting impatient.

If he couldn't win, he could just leave. A jutsu that powerful had to consume a great deal of Chakra.

In other words, his opponent couldn't use it frequently. To kill him, he would have to risk getting close.

That would give him a chance to turn the tables.

Kyosuke soon realized what his enemy was planning.

A bunch of old hands. Damn, they're hard to deal with. He had to admit that not one of these long-renowned Jonin was easy prey.

His successful kills in the past had involved outside factors to one degree or another, and luck had played a major part.

Only now, facing an enemy head-on, did Kyosuke understand just how troublesome the older generation of Jonin could be.

His enemy was clearly planning to leave. He might as well have told Kyosuke outright: If you want to stop me, come on and fight.

For a brief moment, Kyosuke wanted to use Chidori to force a kill, but he quickly abandoned the idea.

Chidori excelled at charging in from a distance to launch a surprise attack. It worked every time against outsiders, but its effectiveness dropped by more than half against a fellow clan member who also had the Sharingan.

Not to mention that he had to worry about keeping his identity hidden.

Flying Thunder God would be exposed sooner or later. If Chidori rang out today, it would be as good as putting his assassination of a fellow clan member out in the open.

"Bastard. If you want to die, I'll grant your wish." Knowing he had no other choice, Kyosuke's expression darkened. He had made up his mind.

Without another word, he unleashed all the Chakra in his body and darted toward his enemy like a mirage.

Unfortunately, even with the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, his opponent could still react.

He ducked beneath the slanting blade, then spun around. Hikari knocked the assassin's guard aside with his Kunai and drove it into his abdomen.

The difference in strength between them was as clear as the difference in combat experience.

Hikari could easily hold back the blade. Kyosuke, by contrast, had seen what his opponent was planning, yet still lost out in strength.

Pulling his bloodied Kunai free, the man spun around and kicked Kyosuke hard, sending him flying.

Before he could hit the ground, a torrent of flames was already bearing down on him.

As expected, even after suffering severe injuries, Kyosuke still forced himself to use Flying Thunder God.

He crashed awkwardly to the ground, but at least he'd avoided being swallowed by the Great Fireball.

Enduring the intense pain, he looked up at his enemy. Their eyes met, and both gazes were filled with amusement.

The battle is over, Kyosuke and Hikari thought at the same time.