"Who are you?"
After Suikazan Fuguki and the others landed on the trees and boulders one by one, their eyes involuntarily fell on Uchiha Sou and his companions.
Or, more accurately, on Uchiha Sou!
Although the Uchiha Sou before them looked only thirteen or fourteen years old, no one could fake that kind of presence.
They had been through countless battles and faced countless powerful opponents. Naturally, they could sense it clearly.
Like sharks that could easily smell blood, they could easily tell that there was something different about Uchiha Sou.
Still, they felt a little relieved. Until now, they had been worried that they might run into Orochimaru this time!
There was no doubt about Orochimaru's mystery and terror. Seeing that their enemy wasn't Orochimaru put them somewhat at ease.
Even so, none of them let their guard down.
A ninja couldn't ignore an opponent's danger just because they looked young.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Uchiha Sou."
Uchiha Sou glanced at the five men and immediately recognized them, but he spoke calmly all the same.
"I'm the commander-in-chief of Konoha's guerrilla forces behind enemy lines. I believe I'm the person you're looking for."
"Oh?" Uchiha Sou's words made all five men raise their brows.
They had already suspected as much, but hearing Uchiha Sou admit it left them somewhat speechless—especially given how young he was.
Strategic ability and physical strength weren't the same thing. Bloodline abilities might allow someone to wield great power even at a young age.
But strategic ability required natural talent, as well as constant training and instruction, before it could truly show.
They found it hard to believe that the person who had driven Kirigakure's rear lines to such a desperate state was a kid!
"Uchiha Sou, are you sure you know what you're saying?" Munashi Jinpachi's gaze turned dangerous. "Would Konoha really send a kid like you to command its forces behind enemy lines?"
"Whether I am or not, what matters is that I'm here." Uchiha Sou smiled faintly, seeming unconcerned by what the man had said.
Just then, Genma, Shisui, and Might Guy came to stand behind Uchiha Sou. Each of them watched the five men warily.
"True, whether you are or not doesn't matter. What matters is that you're all going to die here!"
Suikazan Fuguki rested a hand on the ninja sword at his back. His chakra stirred, and his expression grew cruel.
"At the very least, taking out so many of our men proves you're capable."
"Indeed. Even if we can't be sure you're our target, you're valuable enough."
Munashi Jinpachi took the ninja sword from his back. Explosive Tags covered its entire length, giving it a particularly sinister appearance.
The other three slowly drew their own ninja swords as well. They were ready to fight!
A terrifying aura spread from them, their palpable killing intent locking onto Uchiha Sou and the others.
With that killing intent fixed on them, Genma and Might Guy felt, for an instant, as if they had been plunged into a mountain of corpses and sea of blood.
Their breathing grew heavier, and their bodies began to tremble involuntarily.
Might Duy, by contrast, seemed far better off. His eyes gleamed, and he looked almost excited.
Uchiha Sou and Shisui Uchiha were the calmest of all, but the three Tomoe in their blood-red eyes were spinning incessantly.
"Not bad. I bet Samehada would love the chakra of you and that other Uchiha kid."
Suikazan Fuguki grinned, his mouthful of sharp teeth looking especially menacing.
"Let's see if you can withstand Kabutowari's power."
Jinin Akebino's gaze turned dangerous. The others had also brought their presence to its peak.
Under the weight of their overwhelming aura, Uchiha Sou and the others seemed like duckweed, ready to be swept away at any moment!
"Aren't you a little too confident?"
Uchiha Sou spoke up, then slowly closed his eyes.
In an instant, an intensely cold chakra, brimming with the aura of destruction, surged out of Uchiha Sou!
The pressure made Genma and Might Guy even more uncomfortable, but it also eased the pressure Suikazan Fuguki and the others had been exerting.
The sight made Suikazan Fuguki and the others furrow their brows even more deeply. A wordless sense of threat now lingered in their hearts.
A moment later, Uchiha Sou slowly opened his eyes. At some point, the three Tomoe in them had silently fused together.
A pair of bizarre, triangular patterns resembling maple leaves appeared in his eyes. As a chill aura continued to spill from him, and with the corpses scattered at his feet, Uchiha Sou now resembled a demon of slaughter!
"That kid... those eyes..."
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen's expressions grew solemn, and the feeling of danger only intensified.
But they were ninjas who had reached this level, and they had their pride. Besides, the danger only stirred them, making them even more bloodthirsty!
And surely, the more dangerous the opponent, the greater his value?
"What an interesting kid. But..."
The one eye visible on Munashi Jinpachi's face stared at Uchiha Sou, and he grinned cruelly.
The next moment, he vanished from where he stood.
The other four also burst forward at terrifying speed, charging straight at Uchiha Sou and his companions!
But they didn't all attack Uchiha Sou at once. Instead, they split up their targets.
Three went for Uchiha Sou, one went after Shisui, and the last charged straight at Genma, Might Guy, and Might Duy.
The blades whistled as they cut through the air. Uchiha Sou stood where he was, watching silently.
He trusted Shisui and Might Duy to handle themselves. He only needed to focus on his own fight.
Vmm!
Almost in an instant, three differently shaped ninja swords swept toward him at once.
Their terrifying edges tore through the air, then plunged into Uchiha Sou's body!
But at that moment, the attackers' expressions changed.
They clearly saw their ninja swords twist strangely where they touched Uchiha Sou.
Under that distortion, none of their blades had hit him at all. They had either slashed through empty air or struck the ground!
"You have no idea..."
The Mangekyo in Uchiha Sou's right eye turned slowly. In the blink of an eye, he swung the kunai in his hand with tremendous force!
"...what kind of eyes you're facing!"
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