Five Elements: Great Combo Bullet Technique!

"Ginkaku?"

From far away, Kinkaku seemed to sense something and abruptly turned his gaze toward the direction where Ginkaku was.

"To force him into using Nine-Tails Chakra... could he have run into an Elite Jonin from Konoha?"

He stood there hesitating for a moment, then his figure flickered as he quickly rushed toward Ginkaku's location.

The strength of the two brothers was heavily impacted if either was missing. If it hadn't been for the urgent pursuit of that Reconnaissance Ninja, they wouldn't have risked splitting up to chase him deep in enemy territory.

"I'll meet up with him first—maybe he's already caught that ninja... Who?!"

Boom!

"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"

As the words fell, a vast sea of flames instantly engulfed Kinkaku and the surrounding forest.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Several figures appeared on the tree trunks around the fire sea.

"Captain Kagami, that technique of yours is incredible!"

Before the other ninjas could continue their praise, Kagami Uchiha raised his hand, his expression turning serious.

"Fall back for now. If I'm not mistaken, that man is Kinkaku, an Elite Jonin from the Cloud Village. That technique alone probably won't kill him. Wait for my signal, then we'll release our techniques together."

"Kinkaku?!" "It's him!"

The Chunin, upon hearing that name, scrambled backward in fear.

They were all battle-hardened ninjas, well aware that staying here would only hinder Kagami Uchiha's performance. Only by finding the right opportunity could they truly help their captain.

Though disappointed not to have found Sou, Kagami Uchiha knew that as a frontline Jonin, he had a duty to deal with invading Cloud Village ninjas.

His crimson eyes swept across the sea of flames below. The next moment, his pupils contracted.

"There!"

Without another word, he leaped down from the tree and, at the edge of the fire sea, spat out a massive fireball nearly a dozen meters in diameter.

Great Fireball Technique!

"Uchiha Clan?!"

Kinkaku cursed under his breath, forced to burst out of his Earth Style hiding spot. He swung his signature weapon, the Basho Fan, converting its attribute to Wind Style, and swept it toward the fireball.

The fireball's momentum stalled, even showing signs of being blown back.

"Enjoy your own technique!"

Kinkaku laughed loudly, already preparing to continue toward Ginkaku's direction.

He had no desire to linger in battle—only to regroup with Ginkaku as quickly as possible. With their weapons complementing each other, even if a few more Jonin showed up, the two brothers wouldn't be afraid.

But Kagami Uchiha, as if anticipating this, used a Body Flicker Technique to flash past the fireball and catch up to Kinkaku again.

This time, he played it smart. Instead of using Fire Style, which could easily be blown away, he dodged Kinkaku's Lightning Style techniques while steadily closing the distance.

Kinkaku knew the power of the Sharingan and kept a safe distance from Kagami Uchiha. Just as he thought he could retreat while fighting and eventually meet up with Ginkaku...

"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"

Kagami Uchiha unleashed Great Fire Annihilation again!

At the same time, the Chunin following behind seemed to receive a signal and unleashed their own Fire Style techniques in succession.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

"Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"

In an instant, Kinkaku's surroundings and the path ahead were covered in a blazing sea of flames.

"Foolish! Under the Basho Fan, Fire Style is useless against me!"

As he spoke, he twisted the Basho Fan in his hand, switching its attribute to Water Style, and roared:

"Water Style: Exploding Water Collision Wave!"

The moment the words left his mouth, the entire area seemed to be flooded by a river from the heavens. As it met the raging fire ahead, white steam, covering several miles in radius, instantly filled the region.

"Perfect timing!"

Kinkaku grinned, looking down. "Now let's see how you find me..."

But before he could finish, Kagami Uchiha appeared not far in front of him, his crimson eyes with three Tomoe locking directly onto Kinkaku's gaze!

Bam!

Kinkaku, who had just been smiling, instantly went blank-faced, frozen in place by the Sharingan's genjutsu.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Two figures appeared one after another behind Kagami Uchiha. Glancing at the dazed Kinkaku, they said in admiration:

"Captain, your genjutsu is getting more impressive by the day."

"Save the chatter."

Kagami Uchiha had no time for them. His eyes locked onto Kinkaku with unyielding focus, his words rapid-fire: "You two, use a Sealing Technique now. Seal his Chakra Pathway. I have a feeling there's an enormous mass of chakra hidden inside him."

The two behind him tensed at the warning, quickly acknowledged with a "Yes, sir," and stepped forward, forming hand seals to prepare the technique.

But the moment they reached Kinkaku's side, a thick, crimson chakra enveloped his body at a visible speed, coating him like a second skin.

"Fall back—now!"

Kagami Uchiha's pupils contracted as he shouted a warning.

Before the two could react, the Kōkinjō around Kinkaku's neck lashed out like a serpent, coiling around their throats in an instant and hoisting them into the air.

Shink!

A flash of Blue Electric Light streaked through the air. Kagami Uchiha, wielding a Ninja Sword crackling with lightning, slashed at the Kōkinjō.

Clang!

The sound rang out like metal striking metal. The blow forced the rope to go slack, dropping the two men, and it retracted, vanishing without a trace.

But behind Kagami Uchiha, a surge of vast, malevolent chakra rippled through the air.

He turned to look.

Kinkaku, now cloaked in Nine-Tails Chakra, stood with the Basho Fan in one hand and the Kōkinjō in the other. His voice was cold.

"Round two. Begin."

On the other side of the battle.

"Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi slammed his hands together, forming seals, then pressed them to the ground with a shout.

A thick stone wall erupted from the earth, blocking a barrage of golden lightning orbs.

Stone fragments flew in all directions.

Though Hiruzen Sarutobi was hailed as a Professor of Ninjutsu, his specialties were Earth Style and Fire Style. Even so, his wall barely held against the assault.

Kinkaku's brother, cloaked in Nine-Tails Chakra, was overwhelming in both taijutsu and Ninjutsu.

"Ao."

Hiruzen, planning to stall and retreat at the right moment, suddenly thought of something and turned to shout.

"You go. I'll—"

Huh?

Where was he?

Behind him, there was no trace of Uchiha Ao—only a swirl of dust and a distant silhouette shrinking to a speck on the horizon.

A voice drifted back on the wind: "Thanks for the cover, Sarutobi-senpai."

"..."

Hiruzen's mouth opened and closed, then opened again, before he finally managed a dry mutter.

"...He sure runs fast."

Swoosh!

Seeing this, the Nine-Tails-cloaked Ginkaku grew anxious and shot past Hiruzen in pursuit.

"Where do you think you're going!"

With no more need to hold back, Hiruzen's eyes sharpened. He formed seals rapidly and pressed his hands to the ground.

Earth Style: Earth Flow River!

The earthen ground beneath Ginkaku liquefied instantly, churning like a raging current. It swallowed the airborne Ginkaku whole and swept him backward.

Ginkaku struggled free from the mudflow, but when he looked toward the direction Uchiha Ao had fled, there was no trace left.

He turned to Hiruzen, his face green with rage, and snarled in a low voice.

"You're asking for death!"

The moment the words left his mouth, the red chakra cloaking his body began to bubble like boiling water. The pressure intensified, and the chakra sharpened into jagged spikes.

Swoosh!

In the next instant, Ginkaku vanished—his speed was nothing short of teleportation. In the blink of an eye, he appeared before Hiruzen, the Seven Star Sword raised high, slashing down toward his head.

Hiruzen stared blankly at the scene, as if caught off guard, watching the Seven Star Sword grow closer and closer.

A silver blade flashed.

Thud!

Hiruzen's form dissolved into a puff of white smoke, leaving only a piece of rotten wood in his place.

In the next moment, five Hiruzen Sarutobis appeared around Ginkaku, positioned at five cardinal points. They formed seals in unison and shouted.

"Five Elements: Great Combo Bullet Technique!"