May Heaven Be Free of Uchiha

"D-Dead!!"

At the valley exit, the pupils of the two Root Organization members shrank sharply. Their faces went blank as they watched the bodies of their two captains split into four pieces and tumble from the cliff.

They had considered the consequences of failure.

But they had never imagined it.

The battle would end this way. Their opponent had only swung his sword twice...

Thud—

The corpses of Yamanaka Fu and Aburame Torune struck the valley floor. Thanks to the resilience of ninja bodies, they had not been smashed to pieces.

After Aburame Torune's death, deep-purple venomous insects covered the surface of his corpse.

Tiny particles danced through the air, imperceptible to the naked eye. They were nanoscopic venomous insects that, gathered in sufficient numbers, gradually contaminated the air.

If Aburame Torune's corpse were left to rot here, the insects would spread within minutes, turning this place into a barren wasteland.

Ingetsu's expression remained calm as he looked down at the two blackish-purple sections of the corpse beneath the firelight.

At the same time, he condensed Earth and Water Release Chakra within his body and injected it into the ground beneath his feet, gathering the Natural Energy from the nearby plants into the roots of the nearest large tree.

Whoosh—

The sound of earth breaking apart rang out as twisted roots slithered and crawled through the night like nimble snakes.

Ingetsu controlled the tree roots, having them wrap around a sealing scroll and store the two sections of Aburame Torune's corpse.

A skilled ninja of the Aburame Clan like him belonged on the battlefield, not in this kind of interception battle.

Even dead, Aburame Torune's corpse still had tremendous value.

The sealing was complete.

The roots withdrew.

Ingetsu casually drew the scroll containing Aburame Torune's corpse into his Storage Space.

He glanced at the hundred-cubic-meter space.

Then he made an unexpected discovery.

The corpses of Jiriku and Asuma had been perfectly preserved, showing no signs of decay whatsoever.

It seemed this Storage Space possessed powerful preservation... and anti-corrosion properties.

Ingetsu rose to his feet and flicked Black Blade Dark Moon in his hand, releasing Wind Release Chakra to scatter the nanoscopic venomous insects in the air that tried to cling to and approach him.

He stepped over Yamanaka Fu's corpse and walked toward the two Root Organization members at the valley exit.

"Damn it!!!"

After their shock faded, the two Root Organization members showed no unnecessary emotion. They calmly accepted reality, gripped their katanas tightly, and charged fearlessly at Uchiha Ingetsu.

Near the merchant caravan's wagons.

The Tsuchigumo Clan's Great Elder and Hotaru watched helplessly as Ingetsu passed by them.

Both looked utterly despondent.

The remaining caravan members copied Sōsen's earlier posture, clasping their hands over their heads and crouching beside the wagons.

They had questioned Sōsen before. Then they had understood Sōsen. Now, they had become Sōsen.

That was Uchiha Ingetsu!

Konoha's newly promoted S-Rank Rogue Ninja.

The caravan members had never expected that the person who hijacked them on the plains would be the bold criminal who dared assassinate Konoha's higher-ups, slaughter civilians, and become the Shinobi World's recent focal point!

Just as the rumors said, this Uchiha Rogue Squad really was at Mount Katsuragi.

Ingetsu calmly faced the approaching Root members.

Hotaru's delicate brows were tightly furrowed, her pretty face deathly pale, and her breathing stalled. When Ingetsu passed by her, all she could hear was the pounding of her own heart.

She never could have imagined it.

The face beneath the hood of the man in black who had sat across from her earlier perfectly overlapped with the flawless, handsome young man in the S-Rank Rogue Ninja wanted poster.

On the cliffs to either side of the valley.

The battle between the Uchiha and the Root Organization had ended.

Earlier.

After Tamao, Nanfeng, and Izumi led the team up the cliffs, they were astonished to discover that besides the Root Organization members, a large number of ninjas had also been lying in ambush there.

Yet the battle had still been completely one-sided.

This battle made Kurenai Yuhi and Nonō reassess the strength of this Uchiha group.

Every one of them possessed the Three Tomoe Sharingan.

After being tempered by the grief of their escape, their Pupil Power had been enhanced to its greatest extent, and their combat strength far surpassed that of ordinary Jonin.

Tamao and the others charged into the ninjas brought by the Root Organization like tigers entering a flock of sheep, easily ending the battle.

At the rear of the group.

Uchiha Mikoto's brows were slightly furrowed, and a hint of frustration appeared on her gentle, beautiful face. She squeezed the bloodstained kunai in her hand, trying to ease the turmoil in her heart.

Following behind the group, Mikoto had intended to fight these Root Organization members and the unidentified ninjas to the death, burning away her life.

Before dying, she wanted to eliminate more enemies for these younger clansmen. But after only one exchange...

She had only killed one ninja before Tamao and the others effortlessly cut down the rest as though chopping vegetables.

Mikoto looked at the ruined cliff and fell into deep thought. Ever since her battle against White Zetsu, she had resolved to sacrifice herself for these clansmen.

A sinner like her, who had failed her clan.

Did not deserve to live.

As the group drew closer and closer to the chaotic region where the Shinobi World's minor nations clustered together, it meant that the Uchiha group's escape route was nearing its end.

Mikoto's chances to hide her intention from Ingetsu and sacrifice herself for her clansmen through battle were becoming fewer and fewer.

"I'll find another chance next time... If there really isn't one, then once the clansmen are safe, I'll do it myself."

Mikoto's gaze gradually softened. She tightly held the kunai Ingetsu had given her, with no intention of returning it.

Once she had escorted these clansmen to safety and completed her journey of atonement.

She could use this kunai to take her own life.

Thud—Thud—Thud—

Corpses rolled down from the cliffs one after another, their heavy impacts echoing through the valley and announcing the end of the battle.

Within the valley.

Every member of the Tsuchigumo caravan, including the Great Elder and Hotaru, heard the heavy sounds of corpses crashing down. Their expressions turned ugly, as though those sounds were tugging at the rhythm of their hearts.

Everyone stared in unison at Sōsen's back ahead of them.

Only then did they understand.

How wise Sōsen's foresight had been. When he had decisively clasped his hands over his head and crouched down on the plains, it had actually contained such profound wisdom.

Having the courage to surrender... now that they thought about it, that was indeed a form of bravery!

If they had reported this Uchiha Rogue Squad just now, they would probably have gone to reincarnate alongside those three foolish guards by now.

"I was wrong. I misunderstood that kid!" The Tsuchigumo Clan's Great Elder stared at Sōsen's back and sighed inwardly, overwhelmed with guilt.

Sōsen watched corpses continuously fall from the cliffs into the valley, his face pale as he sincerely sighed.

"These people died horribly. May heaven be free of Uchiha!"

As he thought that, Sōsen looked toward the valley exit and was shocked to discover that in the briefest instant, Ingetsu had already effortlessly killed the tall ANBU ninja who had kicked him earlier.

Sōsen suddenly felt much better.

The other ANBU ninja had been pinned to the wall by Ingetsu's black blade. His mask had been removed, blood spilled from his mouth, and he looked like a fish nailed to a chopping board awaiting slaughter.

Whoosh—

The Uchiha returned to the group and arrived beside Ingetsu, standing guard.

"Big Brother, your guess was spot-on. Aside from a few Root Organization members, there were also more than thirty unidentified ninjas hiding on the cliffs."

Tamao's babyish face was stained with blood as he grinned brightly.

"Were they all eliminated?"

Ingetsu asked calmly.

As he spoke.

He pulled the black blade from the Root Organization member dressed as an ANBU ninja. The mark of Yachihoko had already appeared in the man's pupils.

"Mm, not one was left alive!"

Tamao said excitedly.

Ingetsu nodded and looked directly at the Root Organization member backed against the rock wall. Not one left alive, yet the mission reward hasn't arrived...

"Did you also set up ambushes on the other two mountain paths?" Ingetsu asked coldly.

As he spoke, the Yachihoko mark in the remaining Root Organization member's pupils flashed red. Unable to control himself, he told the truth.

"Yes. On the left and right mountain paths, two of our Root Organization members are lying in wait. Each brought twenty hired ninjas from other villages and Bounty Hunters."

Ingetsu continued, "Are there any other pursuit teams from Konoha nearby?"

"I don't know."

Yachihoko could control the mind, but it could not read thoughts. However, through mental control, it could make those under its control speak the truth.

Ingetsu did not look at the man again.

He slowly turned around.

The next instant, a muffled sound of a heart exploding came from the Root Organization member's chest. The red light in his pupils dimmed and vanished as his body lost all signs of life.

The Uchiha frowned.

Together, they looked toward Izumi, who was huddled among them with flushed cheeks, unable to stop themselves from recalling what she had said.

"I... I think all three paths are safe!"