"Another Three-Tomoe Sharingan."
As Uchiha Sou spoke, the two remaining Mist Ninja clearly noticed the difference.
Before, they had only seen a pair of scarlet eyes. Now they could clearly make out the three Tomoe slowly spinning within them!
But the Mist Ninja lived up to their name; even in this situation, they remained highly composed.
They also seemed entirely unconcerned by their comrade's death. Their callousness was downright chilling.
Their expressions and demeanor reminded Uchiha Sou of the group he had taken out earlier. It seemed they, too, had been tempered by the Bloody Mist Policy.
Fighting people like this made Uchiha Sou frown. What's more, he could tell that these two had a considerable amount of chakra!
Could these be two more who are close to Jonin level?
Uchiha Sou silently groaned. Chakra wasn't everything, but a deep reserve could still offer some indication of a ninja's combat strength.
But that wasn't the most important thing. The most important thing was that he seemed to have heard some crucial information.
"Another Three-Tomoe Sharingan?"
In the vast Uchiha Clan, there weren't that many people who had awakened the Sharingan. Those still alive with three Tomoe were even rarer.
Excluding those who had already retired and those in high-ranking positions who were unlikely to be deployed, there were probably around a dozen.
He couldn't help wondering who the other person with a Three-Tomoe Sharingan was—the one surrounded by Kirigakure's Anbu.
"Can you tell me who you're trying to capture on the other side of the mist?"
Uchiha Sou held his fighting stance. Though the mist obstructed his vision, he could still vaguely keep track of the two men.
"You'll meet him soon enough, kid. Only..."
One of the Mist Ninja spoke coldly. He stood about ten meters away from Uchiha Sou, but his voice seemed to come from every direction through the mist.
The next instant, he moved. In practically no time at all, he rushed behind Uchiha Sou and brought his ninja sword down in a vicious slash.
"In the Pure Land!"
"Quit your prattling."
Uchiha Sou remained utterly calm in the face of this.
Ever since he had awakened the Sharingan, Inu-chichi had used Fire Style in every training session to block his vision and distract him, then suddenly launch a sneak attack.
Those tender father-son training days had made his reflexes incredibly sharp. Besides, he was pretty good at sneaking up on people himself!
The moment the Mist Ninja attacked, Uchiha Sou was already moving to evade. He also turned the kunai in his hand toward the rear, ready to strike at any moment.
But just as he was about to make his move, his brow suddenly furrowed. The next instant, he flickered away from the spot.
At the same moment, a Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique slammed into the place where he had been standing.
The Mist Ninja who had launched the first attack had already used the Substitution Technique. Clearly, that man's attack had only been a feint.
The two worked together well enough, and their attacks were exceptionally ruthless. Uchiha Sou had barely landed when the other Mist Ninja was already chasing after him.
His ninja sword was drawn, blue chakra swirling around its blade. His movements looked gentle, but he was actually moving incredibly fast.
In an instant, he swept the blade toward Uchiha Sou's neck with precise elegance!
Swordsmanship was a field Uchiha Sou had never ventured into.
He hadn't even mastered Taijutsu yet. How could he possibly find the time to learn swordsmanship?
Faced with this uncanny swordsmanship, Uchiha Sou felt immense pressure. Yet the pressure also made his thoughts exceptionally clear.
His scarlet Sharingan spun continuously. The next instant, the path of the incoming slash was already clear in his mind!
The Sharingan's perception was enough to make any enemy despair. As long as your body could keep up with what your eyes perceived, no enemy could hide from you!
Clang!
A crisp metallic clash rang out. Just before the Mist Ninja's blade could hit him, Uchiha Sou's kunai steadily blocked it in front of him.
The Mist Ninja reacted quickly and had clearly fought Uchiha before. When his first attack missed, he immediately closed his eyes and swept a kick toward Uchiha Sou.
Uchiha Sou was no pushover, either. He quickly raised his left arm to block the kick, while his right hand quietly drove the kunai toward the man in a vicious thrust.
But just then, the other Mist Ninja appeared right on his heels. As he attacked, the man's ninja sword slashed cleanly toward him!
"What a pain!"
Uchiha Sou cursed inwardly. The best way to deal with the Sharingan was to attack from both front and back. These two Mist Ninja clearly understood that.
It was making things extremely difficult for him, but he wasn't going to complain. That was simply how ninjas were; there was no such thing as honor.
A ninja had to use every means at their disposal. Ninja battles were always a matter of life and death as well as victory and defeat!
Uchiha Sou spun around sharply. He had no choice but to abandon the Mist Ninja in front of him and raise his kunai to deflect the sneak attack from behind.
The next second, his expression tightened. The Mist Ninja who had been about to retreat suddenly turned back and, while Uchiha Sou was dealing with the other opponent, kicked at him once more!
It was the same tactic again: one in front and one behind. With no other choice, Uchiha Sou used the Substitution Technique again.
The two Mist Ninja immediately pinpointed where he had reappeared and chased after him without hesitation.
"Clang, clang, clang, clang."
The sound of metal clashing echoed repeatedly through the dense mist. Surrounded by the two Mist Ninja attacking from front and back, Uchiha Sou couldn't help breaking into a cold sweat.
The two men worked together seamlessly. Even with his quick reflexes and the Sharingan activated, he had still sustained a few minor injuries.
Unfortunately, he had no time to worry about them. He couldn't help wondering why people's fortunes could differ so much.
In the manga, the little rookies with only Genin-level strength beat Jonin like they were nothing. When they got fired up, they could even take down formidable Kage Level bosses.
But after accepting that stupid mission from Orochimaru, he'd already run into several Jonin. Now he was getting pushed around by two capable Mist Ninja who worked together like a well-oiled machine.
Without the Sharingan, he would probably have been done for.
"But I have the Sharingan!"
The two opponents were undoubtedly strong, but Uchiha Sou's speed combined with his Three-Tomoe Sharingan was more than enough, even if his Taijutsu was rather mediocre.
As the battle went on, he gained a clearer and clearer understanding of their patterns. He could already predict their movements!
Whoosh!
Another slash came at him, its speed and force both astonishing.
But Uchiha Sou's eyes lit up. He knew his chance had come!
With a slight sidestep, he narrowly avoided the Mist Ninja's lethal strike. Taking advantage of the opening, he grabbed the man's arm.
Just as he expected, the Mist Ninja behind him swung his sword at them again without hesitation. But at that moment, chakra suddenly surged through Uchiha Sou!
In the blink of an eye, the blade came down. But the Mist Ninja holding it was now wearing a look of utter terror.
Because the face before him was also filled with shock—and it belonged to his teammate!
Behind that Mist Ninja, Uchiha Sou had already quietly thrown several kunai into the air.
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