The Art of Ranking

Yamanaka Fu was extremely fast—for a rear-support ninja of the Yamanaka Clan, the speed he burst forth with was that of an assassination specialist!

His figure arrived before Uchiha Siming in an instant!

There was no dodging!

But what was smarter was that his gaze stayed fixed on the ground.

Oh ho.

Uchiha Siming's lips curled slightly. The Three Tomoe Sharingan in his eyes flickered with a crimson gleam, and for a moment, it seemed almost useless.

But he didn't care at all.

Kunai in hand, he slashed upward in a counterstrike, his movements even faster, a hint of excitement in his eyes:

"You mean to say, you want to brawl with me?!"

"Tch!"

Under Yamanaka Fu's stunned gaze, a terrifying shockwave and force came from the short blade. His palm ached sharply, and he couldn't hold onto the weapon—it was sent flying!

"How is this possible? What kind of monster are you?"

He couldn't believe it.

As an assassination-type ninja, the first lesson he'd learned was to never lose his blade. But just now, he simply couldn't hold it, and even now, a spasm ran through his palm!

Even if he gripped the blade again, he could only bring out half his strength.

Horror lingered in his eyes.

One single exchange, and his short sword was already ruined. No wonder Lord Danzo was so wary of Uchiha Siming.

"So fast!"

Before Yamanaka Fu could react, Uchiha Siming's figure had already coiled around him like the wind. The crimson Three Tomoe Sharingan gleamed, and his fist carried a power like a falling mountain!

The sound of air splitting and the pressure of the wind were deafening!

"I absolutely cannot take this punch!"

Yamanaka Fu's mind raced: "Uchiha Siming's straight-line attack also gives me a chance to use the Mind Transfer Jutsu!"

He thrust out both hands quickly, determined to cast the secret technique before the blow landed, and suddenly lifted his head!

[Mind Transfer Jutsu!]

As he raised his head and activated the technique, he barked: "Toru!!!"

Buzz—!

If it succeeded, even the mighty Uchiha Siming would show an opening for an instant!

But suddenly, his pupils shrank, and his heart skipped a beat: "W-what kind of eyes are those?"

A pair of crimson, pinwheel-shaped Mangekyo Sharingan appeared before his eyes.

Like stars in the sky, with intricate and dazzling patterns, they were dizzying. His consciousness had already entered Uchiha Siming's body through the Mind Transfer Jutsu.

"The Yamanaka Clan's secret technique is indeed powerful, but has no one ever told you that before these eyes, any mental jutsu is like a mayfly trying to shake a tree?"

Within the mental space.

There was no resistance at all.

Yamanaka Fu felt a fear that overturned his understanding.

Just maintaining himself inside Uchiha Siming was his limit; he couldn't suppress the other's spirit at all. As a member of the Yamanaka Clan, who specialized in spiritual attacks, he was like a single grain of sand beneath a mountain before Uchiha Siming!

"Is this your limit?"

Uchiha Siming chuckled lightly, looking at Yamanaka Fu, whose forehead was drenched in cold sweat as he barely sustained the technique, and sent him flying with a single punch!

In reality.

"Insect Devastation!"

Too close to use a large-scale swarm, Aburame Toru's body erupted with countless nanoscale poison insects, spreading over him like dye spreading on cloth. He wouldn't miss this chance!

If he touched Uchiha Siming, the insects would instantly multiply and destroy Uchiha Siming's internal organs!

But suddenly, his heart jolted as he saw a pair of crimson Mangekyo Sharingan. Uchiha Siming's movements didn't pause at all; his fist crashed down like a mountain toward the unconscious Yamanaka Fu!

"No! We're Root members. If you kill Yamanaka Fu, Lord Danzo will never let you go!"

Aburame Toru's face changed drastically.

How could he not see that Yamanaka Fu's consciousness was scattered, already lost? That punch would kill him!

But Uchiha Siming's speed was even more urgent, like a falling meteor—unstoppable. Under Aburame Toru's gaze, the senseless Yamanaka Fu had his chest pierced through!

Siming's other hand instantly grabbed Yamanaka Fu's ankle.

Like swinging a giant hammer, he hurled him viciously toward Aburame Toru!

"No... impossible!"

"How did you break free from Fu's control so quickly? No, that's not right—you were never under control at all!"

Aburame Toru's breath caught, cold sweat streaming down his back.

Too fast. Before he could even react, Uchiha Siming had killed Yamanaka Fu with lightning speed, as if Root's retaliation could not shake him in the slightest.

He wanted to retreat, but his body was rooted to the spot like a great tree.

Uchiha Siming let out a cold snort.

Using Yamanaka Fu's body as a weapon, he smashed Toru into severe injury.

He was clearly on the verge of death, with more breath out than in.

"Overestimating yourselves."

Siming's gaze from on high was only indifference, as if he had just crushed two ants beneath his hand.

"Danzo?"

He sneered, pronouncing the other's death sentence:

"I hadn't even bothered with him—that was already his fortune. But unfortunately, Aburame Toru, you won't live to see that day."

"Heh, heh. Lord Danzo misjudged your strength. Everyone... misjudged your strength."

As soon as Aburame Toru spoke, blood gushed out with a "wah."

He let out a bitter laugh.

He understood it wasn't that they were too weak, but that the enemy was too strong—so strong that even two Elite Jonin like him and Yamanaka Fu were no match. He didn't beg for mercy; he only wished his friend Fu hadn't died so senselessly.

"But even so, Uchiha Siming, you'll die sooner or later. Anyone Lord Danzo sets his sights on is doomed to perish in the shadows—"

He didn't finish.

Siming had no interest in talking further. Gripping Yamanaka Fu's short blade, he swung it in one stroke, severing Aburame Toru's head.

He flicked his hand.

Blood splattered away, leaving only a short blade white as snow, gleaming under the moonlight like frost.

"Hm. Not a bad blade."

Sheathing the knife, he casually formed hand seals. In an instant, the earth churned, vines emerged like great hands from hell, dragging the two corpses hundreds of meters deep underground, never to resurface.

"Danzo, was it?"

His departing back carried a voice as cold as if it came from the depths of the abyss:

"A hero's death should be surrounded by the people's acclaim. And your sins—they too shall be exposed to the light of day!"

[Ding! Detected Lord Hashirama's fury. No darkness that undermines peace may exist within the village, even if cloaked in the village's name. The root of darkness must have wings!]

[Mission: Eliminate Root's fangs!]

[Mission Reward: Wood Release: Ranking Technique!]

A decent mission.

The Ranked Crimson Technique could be called the ultimate defense among Wood Release—unbreakable even by Uchiha Madara's Armored Susanoo with the Nine-Tails!

"Then."

Uchiha Siming stepped step by step into the Uchiha Clan: "Let's start by removing the fangs. But I'll need to be careful about the method—otherwise, I'll just become a rebel."

He shook his head.

"Being misunderstood is never a good feeling."