Root had chosen a rather clever spot to intercept Uchiha Rei.
Although this place was only two blocks from the Uchiha Clan Compound, it was dark all around. There were no lights, and no clan members patrolled the area. It was just the sort of blind spot where the Uchiha Clan's defenses were weakest.
The villagers had long since left the streets near the Uchiha Clan. The entire district had sunk into silence and darkness, as if it had been deliberately forgotten.
Konoha's funds were never wasted on "unimportant" places. The higher-ups had clearly made their decision long ago.
Darkness was the most fitting destination for the Uchiha.
As long as they killed Uchiha Rei in an instant and whisked Uchiha Sasuke away before anyone could react, everything could be settled quietly and cleanly before the Uchiha Clan noticed.
The four Root Members up ahead were ready to strike at any moment.
The Root Captain stepped forward. His gaze was icy, and his voice low.
"Uchiha Rei, I'm giving you one last chance. If you insist on getting in our way, you'll be making an enemy of all of Root."
Uchiha Rei glanced at him, the corner of his mouth curling into a half-smile. "How strange... You talk as if that old bastard Danzo can really speak for all of Konoha."
He shook his head slightly and thought to himself:
If that old bastard weren't so damn tough and didn't have a spare life, I'd have sent him to meet the Sage of Six Paths long ago. And now his little Root lackeys are acting all high and mighty in front of me?
"A shinobi should complete his mission. That's what the Third Hokage taught us, and it's the Will of Fire I stand by." Uchiha Rei's tone was calm, but his resolve was unshakable.
The Root Captain's brow furrowed. Without another word, he signaled with a gesture, and all four of them launched their attack. Their killing intent erupted in the night.
The captain charged first, his Kunai slicing through the darkness straight toward Uchiha Rei's throat. The other three, however, rushed toward Sasuke, their movements nimble and their figures darting past like ghosts.
Killing Uchiha Rei isn't important, the captain calculated. As long as we take Sasuke, the mission is complete.
They knew they were very close to the Uchiha Clan Compound. Time was short, and they couldn't afford a drawn-out fight. If they could keep Uchiha Rei occupied for just a moment, they could escape successfully.
But just as the captain's Kunai was about to strike, a cold gust swept up from below.
"Konoha Style Taijutsu, Konoha Whirlwind!"
Before the words had even faded, Uchiha Rei's right leg shot up and swept across with a roar, like a hurricane crashing into them!
"Bang!"
The Root Captain didn't even have time to react before a kick sent him flying into a stone wall.
In the next instant, Uchiha Rei appeared in front of Sasuke, blocking his way. His gaze was cold, and his killing intent was sharp as needles.
Before the remaining three Root Members could even land, his next attack tore through their formation.
The first kick had thrown them off balance. The second swept out in quick succession, a tornado cutting through the night and knocking all three to the ground.
"Th-this is... Taijutsu?" One of the fallen Root ninja was shaken to the core.
According to the information Root had gathered, Uchiha Rei had been poisoned long ago. His strength had plummeted, and he had only a Genin's level of chakra.
But that speed and explosive power, that precise footwork and strength... Even a Jonin would struggle to withstand it!
His chakra was already very low. If he were at full strength, just how powerful would he be? He might even rival Root's strongest Elite Jonin.
"Konoha Whirlwind"
had been developed by a Taijutsu specialist in Konoha. Since it was a purely physical technique, it was barely affected by chakra.
"He actually used that?" The Root Captain gritted his teeth. When he got back to his feet, his expression was so dark it seemed water might drip from it.
At last, he understood how powerful Uchiha Rei was.
The same Ninjutsu could show vastly different levels of power depending on who used it.
Uchiha Madara's Fire Release was a great fireball; other people's Fire Release was a little flame.
Uchiha Rei was the same. Through countless days and nights of training, he had honed his Taijutsu to its utmost limit.
His chakra reserves were three times those of an ordinary Jonin and twice those of Konoha's Elite Jonin, Kakashi Hatake.
As for Taijutsu, he was second only to Konoha's Azure Beast, Might Guy. He far surpassed Itachi, the Uchiha Clan's representative genius.
"Every training session pays off."
"Even without a Kekkei Genkai or secret techniques, I can still make it this far."
"...This is what it means to be a shinobi."
The outcome was clear after just one exchange. Of the four Root ninja, only the captain was still barely standing.
Uchiha Rei had excellent dynamic vision. He possessed both the Sharingan and the Byakugan, and his Konoha Whirlwind always went for the head.
A single attack had knocked the other three Root Members down and left them unable to fight.
At that moment, Sasuke stood behind him, looking at his back. Suddenly, he felt that this figure was taller than his brother's—and more dependable.
His chakra is already running low... the Root Captain thought calmly. As long as I drag this into a long fight, I'll have the advantage.
He made up his mind and flicked his right hand, throwing a black Smoke bomb. With a muffled "poof," smoke burst out, becoming a thick black cloud that swallowed the entire street in an instant.
The night breeze stirred but couldn't dispel this man-made darkness. The dense black smoke quickly spread, swirling and billowing around every corner of the street. Their vision was completely blocked, as if they had fallen into a boundless fog.
Uchiha Rei stood where he was and slowly closed his eyes, quietly sensing the slightest vibrations in the air. Before long, his brow furrowed.
The smoke had lasted too long. It clearly wasn't the effect of an ordinary Smoke bomb.
"Using Genjutsu in front of me?" The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. "Even Uchiha Itachi doesn't dare show off his Genjutsu in front of me. This little trick..."
He could sense that the chakra fluctuations layered through the smoke were crude and chaotic, like a group of apprentices imitating a master's work with childish scribbles. It was both ridiculous and foolish.
He slowly breathed out and said, "Genjutsu... It really is the trickiest thing for me to deal with."
"Root's full of monsters these days." As he spoke, he lifted his head, a smile appearing on his face.
Uchiha Sasuke stood off to the side, shaken by those words.
He clenched his teeth without realizing it, his eyes fixed on Uchiha Rei's back. The words sounded as if he were admitting weakness, as if he were afraid. Sasuke even began to wonder whether Rei was planning to give up.
Is... is he afraid too? The thought flashed through Sasuke's mind. In the darkness of night, even he felt afraid, though he never said it aloud. But Uchiha Rei spoke of it so naturally.
Before Sasuke could finish thinking, Uchiha Rei moved.
"Konoha—"
With a sharp shout, Uchiha Rei swept his right leg across, like a black blade slicing through the night sky. The kick stirred up a violent gust, and a pitch-black vortex formed around his foot!
"Whirlwind!"
The kick tore the smoke upward, like storm clouds ripped apart in a downpour. In an instant, the smoke went out of control, twisting and clumping together. The Genjutsu hidden inside it collapsed, like a body whose nerves had been severed.
The Root Captain's head suddenly throbbed with pain. His vision went black, and dizziness washed over him.
"What—?" Before he could react, the black figure was already right in front of him.
Uchiha Rei planted his left foot and swung his right leg sharply upward!
"Konoha Whirlwind!"
The Root Captain didn't have time to react. He felt a hammer blow to his abdomen, followed by a "crack" as his ribs broke. Blood spurted from his mouth and nose, and his body flew through the air like a rag doll before crashing into the middle of the street.
Boom!
Dust billowed, and the paving stones cracked. A deep crater appeared, with the Root Captain's body embedded in it, his life or death uncertain.
The street fell deathly silent. Only the wind passed through the roof tiles, moaning softly.
Uchiha Sasuke stood frozen, eyes wide. He had never seen a fight so swift and decisive. Rei had said he was "so scared," yet he had taken down the Root ninja one after another, leaving them helpless.
Just what was this seemingly harmless big brother?
He said he was scared, but he was still knocking down one Root ninja after another.
Sharp footsteps sounded again at the far end of the street.
The Smoke bomb had also been Root's signal flare. Reinforcements would arrive soon.
At almost the same time, a Uchiha Clan guard squad arrived at the scene.
The two groups landed on either side, one behind Uchiha Rei and the other behind Sasuke.
They didn't look at Uchiha Rei. Every one of them had their eyes fixed on Uchiha Sasuke.
After a brief silence, both groups spoke in unison:
"Please hand Uchiha Sasuke over to us."
On one side stood Konoha's Root, and on the other, members of the Uchiha Clan. The tension became unbearable, like a spark about to ignite a powder keg.
Uchiha Rei stood in front of Sasuke, still wearing an easy smile. He sighed softly. "You're making me choose again... How annoying. I have a hard time making decisions."
His voice was light, but there was no warmth in it.
Sasuke tugged at his sleeve and whispered, "Actually... you can hand me over to the clan members..."
Uchiha Rei listened, then simply looked down and smiled. His gaze was gentle, but edged with sarcasm.
"When did you decide the clan was reliable?" His voice was soft, but his words cut deep. "If the clan really were reliable... why hasn't your brother come back?"
Sasuke was stunned and couldn't say a word.
"The Uchiha who came here aren't from your father's faction. They're the Hawk Faction—more extreme, more radical. They're interested in you not because of who you are, but because of whose little brother you are."
"If you fall into their hands, it'll make no difference from falling into Root's."
He looked up at the stars in the night sky. His tone remained casual, but his resolve was ironclad. "Don't worry. I'll personally deliver you to the person you should be handed over to."
"The most important thing for a shinobi is to complete his mission."
Before you continue