The Tracker

The setting sun sank in the west, golden threads unfurling across the streets and alleys like a romantic poem.

The shadow of the boy with his hands in his pockets stretched endlessly behind him. Alone, he seemed to carry an inexplicable air of melancholy.

All around him, passersby were put off by the "pool cue" on his back. It was as though merely approaching him would bring bad luck.

Sora Uchiha's expression was calm. He paid no mind to the way people looked at him like he was an oddity, only glancing back out of the corner of his eye...

It was a shame he didn't have the Byakugan. Then he could at least see in 359 degrees.

He walked at an unhurried pace, a little faster than an ordinary person. After crossing the street, he turned into an empty alley.

The warm glow of the streetlights did nothing to make the alley feel cozy. Instead, it lent the place an indescribable eeriness.

Sora chuckled. I guess this is what they mean by hiding in plain sight. From a distance, a dark figure standing beneath a light would look frightening no matter how you saw it.

As he ventured deeper into the alley, the light dimmed. The shadows seemed ready to swallow Sora whole.

"Come out."

He stopped and turned around, hands in his pockets, eyes lowered as he looked at the empty alley before him.

The only response was the cold wind rushing through the alley with a fierce howl. It ruffled his sideburns, brushing lightly against his cheeks and tickling his skin.

He was a little troubled. Maybe I should find some time to get a haircut.

The alley before him remained utterly still. Sora chuckled softly.

"You've been following me since this morning. What, don't plan on coming out to meet me? I even picked a secluded spot for you."

After a long moment, no one answered. He sighed softly. "Since I'm saying this, naturally, I've already noticed you."

As he spoke, a Shuriken suddenly appeared in his hand. It flashed like a streak of cold light as he hurled it toward the darkness!

At last, something moved. A patch of wall, colored a dull earthy yellow, shifted in the darkness. The next instant, a figure darted out, leaving behind only a piece of cloth that was almost the same color as the wall.

Sora couldn't help but twitch at the sight of the cloth.

An E-rank ninjutsu, the Hiding Technique. It worked by blending cloth into the surrounding environment and using a secret method to diminish one's presence.

He had to admit, this person had the Hiding Technique down pat. If he hadn't already sensed something was off, he might not have noticed at all.

The tracker appeared beneath a streetlight. Because of the shadows beneath it, Sora narrowed his eyes but still couldn't make out the details.

The only thing he could see was a cat mask on the person's face.

But the mask was enough. After all, only one organization in Konoha wore cat masks like that.

Anbu? Root? It didn't matter.

"What do you want with me?" he asked calmly, one hand in his pocket.

"As expected of a Uchiha prodigy. Your senses are indeed sharp." A hoarse voice came from beneath the mask, making it impossible to tell whether the speaker was male or female.

Sora knew it was a special way of speaking, using a small amount of Chakra to constrict the throat and conceal the speaker's natural voice.

"If that's all you have to say, then this is pointless," Sora said coolly.

The tracker faltered, then said in a low voice, "I was going to test your abilities with a sneak attack. Since you noticed me, there's no choice—"

He broke off mid-sentence.

A Kunai, concealed by the shadow cast by the eaves, sliced toward him in a sharp, cold arc.

The tracker's pupils shrank. He swung the short blade in his hand and knocked the Kunai away.

"Secret Scroll: Lightning Strike."

A bolt of lightning moved at blinding speed. The instant he knocked aside the Kunai, it was already upon him.

There was no time to dodge. This kid hadn't even used Hand Seals!!!

That was his final thought. Lightning Strike was simply too fast. He even thought that below Jonin rank, probably no one could dodge this attack.

A flash of lightning as bright as day struck right in front of him. But the tracker had impressive endurance. Even as the current numbed him, he quickly formed Hand Seals.

"Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall."

In an instant, the tracker spat out a clump of earth. It covered him completely, blocking the electricity.

Woof! Woof, woof!!

Just as he caught his breath, a furious series of barks rang out nearby!

He looked up to see several Ninja Dogs pouncing on him and pinning him to the ground, rubbing him furiously.

Summoning: Ninja Dog.

Press the summoning scroll and get the whole combo—my rank is off the charts.

Sora thought this to himself, inexplicably feeling like he was about to burst out laughing.

The fight ended quickly. The main reason was that Sora could use secret techniques without Hand Seals, and the tracker hadn't had time to react.

He'd been paralyzed by Lightning Strike. Otherwise, he might have had a chance to dodge the Ninja Dogs.

In short, the scroll technique had stunned him, leaving him wide open for the next attack.

Sora walked over to the unconscious tracker and removed his mask, revealing the face of a man in his twenties or thirties. It was unfamiliar.

After memorizing the man's features, he stood and said calmly, "Whether you're Anbu or Root, I don't care. If you need something, contact me through the Uchiha."

With that, he turned and left, whether the man could hear him or not.

To him, this had been nothing more than a warm-up after dinner.

Besides, he could roughly guess why they'd tested his strength. They wanted to recruit him, and first they had to "inspect the goods."

Tomorrow? Or the day after? Someone would probably come to his house to find him.

That night, at Root headquarters,

Sui Yamanaka knelt on one knee, head bowed, one fist pressed against the ground. He trembled, his heart filled with unease.

Before him stood Shimura Danzō, his face completely expressionless.

Sui Yamanaka was the one who had followed Sora Uchiha that day. He had been ordered to track Sora and test his abilities.

"You were taken out in one blow?" Danzō repeated coldly.

"Y-yes." Sui Yamanaka sensed his superior's displeasure and felt helpless.

He was supposed to test Sora Uchiha's abilities?

He'd been taken out in one blow by a secret scroll technique followed by a summoning. He hadn't learned a thing. Being defeated by a boy who had just passed the Chunin Ninja Exams was so embarrassing he couldn't even bring himself to say he was in Root.

Danzō stared at him silently for a long while. The pressure on Sui Yamanaka was immense, no less than training against a waterfall's current.

"You don't even know what ninjutsu he used?"

"Yes..." It had been an instant technique requiring no Hand Seals, and he hadn't even recognized Lightning Strike. "I only know it was some kind of Lightning Style Ninjutsu, and that he summoned a few dogs."

Even Danzō could barely keep his composure. Sui Yamanaka's strength was in the second tier among Chunin, yet he'd been taken out in one blow by a boy.

Sora Uchiha was even more extraordinary than he'd expected.

"Leave," Danzō said calmly after a long silence.

"Yes!" Sui Yamanaka felt as though a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"Also, remember to go receive your punishment."

Sui Yamanaka's face paled. He lowered his head and silently acknowledged the order.

After Sui Yamanaka left,

Ryoma Aburame pushed up his Sunglasses and spoke slowly. "It seems Sora Uchiha is even more formidable than we thought. An instant Lightning Style Ninjutsu, shaped like a lightning bolt—I know of one technique that fits the description."

"Which one?" Danzō asked in a low voice.

A glint flashed across Ryoma Aburame's Sunglasses.

"One of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen knows Lightning Release: Lightning Strike. It sounds a lot like what Sui Yamanaka described."