The Resolve of the Bait: Sen Draws the Enemy's Killing Intent, His Clanmates' Lives Hang by a Thread

"Go!" Sen roared.

The gap in strength between the two sides was already too great for any strategy to overcome. If they stayed, more than one of them would die!

Uchiha Chizuru's teeth ground together. He took one last look at their comrade, torn to pieces, his bloodshot Sharingan brimming with red veins. Then, suppressing his overwhelming grief, he turned and followed the group.

"Sen!" Chizuru moved closer, his voice trembling slightly with fear and fury. "These Mist Ninja... why are they all such powerful Jonin?! We have to come up with something, or... or we'll be wiped out!"

He didn't dare raise his voice, afraid of further undermining the already crumbling morale of the clan members behind him.

The cruel, bloody scene they had just witnessed had already left many of the younger clan members as pale as paper.

"How much longer until Orochimaru's reinforcements arrive?!" Sen asked urgently, rapidly surveying the rugged terrain around them in search of even the slightest chance of survival.

His heart was full of regret.

If he'd known the Mist Ninja were this terrifying, he should have insisted on acting alone! By bringing his clansmen here, he'd only invited wolves into the fold!

"Twenty minutes at the earliest!" Uchiha Chizuru answered quickly, releasing several Great Fireballs behind him to barely hold off their pursuers. "But I'm more worried about Kirigakure's reinforcements! We're too close to the islands they control!"

He looked back and saw Sen still silently thinking. Gritting his teeth, he steeled his expression. "Sen! I'll hold them off! Take everyone and escape first..."

"Don't be stupid! I'm the bait!" Sen cut him off without hesitation.

He turned sharply and gave his clansmen his final order. "Everyone, head for the volcano ahead! The poisonous gas is thicker there. They don't have proper protective gear, so we'll have the advantage!"

At his words, the others seemed to have found their last lifeline. They nodded at once and fled toward the volcano with all their strength.

Watching his clansmen disappear into the distance, Sen suddenly flung Samehada aside and charged alone into the woods in the opposite direction.

He had already made up his mind.

This time, he had made a mistake in his plan. So he would bear all the consequences alone.

The Mist Ninja were after him. If he could draw them away, his clansmen might still have a chance to survive.

But in the end, he had underestimated the enemy's cruelty and cunning.

Kushimaru Kuriarare was about to pursue the others when Jūzō Biwa stopped him, wearing the playful grin of a cat toying with a mouse.

"Don't rush. Those people were wearing Uchiha clan uniforms. Kuriarare, take two men and finish off those little fry first. Remember, make them suffer for a while. Make plenty of noise."

Kushimaru Kuriarare immediately understood what Jūzō Biwa meant. A cruel smile spread across his face. With a wave of his right hand, he led two Mist Ninja after the fleeing Uchiha clan members.

Damn it! They saw through me!

Seeing this, Sen cursed inwardly and stopped dead in his tracks.

The moment he halted, the six Mist Ninja led by Jūzō Biwa had already surrounded him from every direction.

"You think a little trick like that will fool us Mist Ninja?" Jūzō Biwa rested Kubikiribōchō on his shoulder and ordered, "The air here is poisonous. Finish this quickly!"

As soon as he spoke, he raised his greatsword and swung it horizontally at Sen!

"Eight Inner Gates: Gate of Life, open!"

There was nowhere left to retreat! Sen roared, and the chakra within him surged to a boil!

A violent storm of green chakra burst from his body, sweeping away all the volcanic ash beneath his feet!

At the same time, the agony twisted his face into a grimace.

As the swirling ash blocked the enemies' vision, he seized Samehada and swung with all his might at the nearest foe!

"Clang!"

But his deadly strike was firmly blocked by another famous blade—Kubikiribōchō!

"That was fast..." The Mist Ninja who had been saved still felt shaken. Seeing his ally rush to his aid, he quickly recovered and joined the others in attacking Sen from every direction!

With enemies closing in from both front and back, Sen could only leap away to dodge.

Realizing he couldn't take down the men in front of him right away, he made a snap decision and raced after Kushimaru Kuriarare.

At the very least, he had to cover his clansmen's escape!

"He must have used some kind of Forbidden Jutsu. It can't last long. Attack in teams of three and take turns. Kushimaru Kuriarare should finish them off soon," Jūzō Biwa called, still hot on his heels.

At those words, Sen's heart sank even further.

His six opponents were Jonin who worked together seamlessly. Forget killing them—even breaking through their encirclement would be incredibly difficult. Could he really have to use that move?

Gate of Pain...

Just using the first three gates left his whole body aching. If he opened the later Gate of Pain, his muscles, meridians, and bones would probably all rupture, killing him within minutes!

While he hesitated, Kushimaru Kuriarare's figure appeared ahead of him.

Seeing the needle-like Nuibari about to swing again, Sen unleashed the chakra beneath his feet once more, holding nothing back!

"Kushimaru Kuriarare! Watch out behind you!"

At his comrade's warning, Kushimaru Kuriarare finally turned around, only to see a wounded beast, like a tiger, hurtling toward him!

He instinctively raised Nuibari to block.

"Bang!"

But how could the slender Nuibari withstand the immense force of Samehada?

Kushimaru Kuriarare flew backward like a broken kite. Samehada's spikes tore several deep wounds into his abdomen, each almost to the bone!

"Captain Sen!"

When Sen landed in front of the group, Uchiha Chizuru's brow furrowed even more deeply.

"Why did you come back?" Uchiha Chizuru asked anxiously. Now, not a single one of them would escape!

"Captain! Let's fight them! We've already killed so many Mist Ninja. We haven't lost out!" Uchiha Chiyu stepped forward, his eyes blazing with fury.

Just moments ago, one of the members of his squad had been mercilessly tortured to death by Kushimaru Kuriarare.

"Exactly! We'll hold them off. Look at them—their faces are red now. That's a sign of poisoning! Let's give it everything we've got. If we can take one down with us, it'll be worth it!"

"Right! For the glory of the Uchiha!"

Feeling the pitifully small amount of chakra he had stolen from Kushimaru Kuriarare, Sen glanced back at his clansmen.

He'd been gone for only a minute or two, and two more clan members had been injured.

If he'd returned any later, then...

"Stop hesitating! They're injured—charge!" Even Uchiha Hitomisaki, a young girl, let out a low growl.

Sen held out an arm, stopping his impetuous clansmen.

For the first time, his voice carried a hint of hoarseness and weariness.

"This was my mistake. I thought I could have you ambush them and wipe them out. This is all on me. I won't drag you into this for nothing."

He looked at the enemies, who had completely surrounded them and were closing in step by step, and spoke slowly. "I have one more jutsu that can hold them off. You... escape while you can."

That jutsu was, of course, the fourth gate of the Eight Inner Gates—

Gate of Pain.

Sen looked at his skin, already beginning to bleed, and felt the meridians inside him on the verge of snapping. A wave of desolation washed over him.

Once he opened the Gate of Pain, his body would be ruined for good.

But...

He turned back to the clan members around his age, watching the complex emotions in their eyes shift from fear to fury and, at last, resolve.

At least, if he could save one person, he'd save one.

He could think of it as... getting to see the sights in the world of Naruto for free.

Kushina's radiant smile, bright as the sun, flashed through his mind, along with Mikoto's gentle eyes, as soft as water.

What a pity. He couldn't go back.