"Six people. Mist Ninja."
As the shadows entered the cave one after another, Uchiha Sou not only saw how many there were, but also identified them at once.
Having figured that out, Uchiha Sou slowly moved his hand to the ninja tool pouch at his waist and hooked his thumb around a kunai.
But he didn't attack. He continued watching the six of them.
Though the Sharingan wasn't as useful as the Byakugan for reconnaissance, it could still reveal plenty of things, such as the flow of an enemy's chakra.
Judging by their chakra reserves, Uchiha Sou knew that only one of them was a Jonin.
That was good news, but they also had three Chunin and two Genin. That was hardly a force to be dismissed.
Strictly speaking, the world of Naruto was truly bizarre.
Even someone as powerful as Uchiha Madara could still be killed by a sneak attack. Just look at Black Zetsu, who had poured his heart out to Uchiha Madara.
In the original story, Chunin were mostly nameless nobodies. But in truth, their combat ability was not to be underestimated.
A capable Chunin, as long as he didn't make a foolish mistake, wouldn't be easy for even a Jonin to deal with.
Even for a Jonin, killing a Genin who didn't make any blunders was extremely difficult while a foe of equal rank kept him under close watch.
Kakashi's battle with Zabuza in the original story had already demonstrated this vividly.
That was why Uchiha Sou had always believed that a ninja's rank was largely symbolic—or, more precisely, a reflection of his standing in the village.
"Let's rest here. We'll continue on tomorrow."
Just then, the leader of the Mist Ninja spoke. His voice sounded hoarse, sending a chill through the air.
"Yes, Captain." The others replied immediately.
"Takeda, stop dwelling on it. No matter how much it hurts, you can't change anything."
The Mist Ninja captain glanced around at everyone, then fixed his gaze on the last figure.
"Your younger brother is dead. I know you want to avenge him yourself, but we have a more important mission. I want you to stay focused."
"Captain, my younger brother died an honorable death. There's no reason to grieve."
Unexpectedly, the young Mist Ninja shook his head coldly. His indifferent tone made it sound as if the dead man hadn't been his brother.
"Besides, someone's already pursuing those Konoha Ninja fleeing like beaten dogs. I'm sure they won't make it out alive."
"Is that so? I understand." The captain furrowed his brow, then nodded and said no more.
Hidden behind a rock, Uchiha Sou could clearly sense that the captain seemed uneasy about the young Mist Ninja's attitude.
Uchiha Sou could also tell that the cold, indifferent young Mist Ninja reeked of blood even more strongly than the captain did.
"A product of the Bloody Mist Policy?"
Uchiha Sou wondered silently. He knew this was Uchiha Madara's doing, though things hadn't reached their peak yet.
The true peak would come when Uchiha Obito took over Madara's political legacy and Kirigakure descended into a frenzy of revenge.
But that wasn't what concerned Uchiha Sou most. He was more interested in the Konoha squad they'd mentioned!
He hadn't expected to run into another team so soon.
"Who's there?"
Suddenly, the Jonin captain, who had already sat down, shouted. A kunai shot straight toward a shadow in the cave.
A green figure quickly sprang out of the shadows, forced to reveal himself. It was clearly Might Guy.
The Mist Ninja reacted quickly too. They immediately went on guard and drew their weapons.
"Damn it!"
Uchiha Sou cursed inwardly at the sight, but he didn't blame Might Guy.
Might Guy was already a capable ninja, but he specialized in Taijutsu, and he was only twelve or thirteen.
Had he simply lost control when he heard that Konoha Ninja were in danger?
Realizing that there was no way to remain hidden, Uchiha Sou immediately formed Hand Seals. Chakra surged through his body.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
Flames like phoenix flower seeds shot in every direction. They weren't very powerful, but they covered a wide area.
Almost all the Mist Ninja were caught in the flames, giving Might Guy a chance to escape.
"Ninja Art: Senbon Rain!"
Shiranui Genma attacked at that moment too, rapidly firing a dense shower of Senbon from the Mist Ninja's flank.
The Senbon flew incredibly fast. The two Genin had just dodged Uchiha Sou's Fire Style and couldn't react in time; several needles pierced each of them.
But Senbon were no match for kunai, and Shiranui Genma hadn't coated them with poison, so the damage they caused was limited.
The two didn't die instantly, but their ability to move was severely hampered.
"Enemy attack! Three of them—take them out!"
The Mist Ninja captain reacted with lightning speed. As he dodged Uchiha Sou's Fire Style, he drew his ninja blade and deflected Shiranui Genma's Senbon.
He glanced around, then quickly gave the order, but didn't immediately move. Instead, he warily watched the surroundings.
The three figures could form a small squad, but they were obviously all kids. He had to be careful in case a Jonin leader was still lurking nearby.
Just then, an ominous sense of danger suddenly rose within him. The icy feeling made his hair stand on end!
He instinctively lowered his body and swung his ninja blade hard behind him, yet he still felt a faint pain in his shoulder.
That speed was unbelievable!
In that split second, his gaze flicked upward. He saw a boy with crimson eyes!
"Sharingan? The Uchiha Clan?"
Earlier, Uchiha Sou had stayed hidden behind the rock and hadn't come out right away.
The Kirigakure captain had only glimpsed a vague outline in the firelight. He hadn't seen the Sharingan.
But now he could see it clearly, and immediately recognized who he was up against.
What shocked him even more was that the boy's Sharingan had already reached the Three Tomoe stage!
There was a saying in the Shinobi World: when facing a Sharingan master alone, flee at all costs; with two against one, try to attack from behind.
As an old rival of Konoha, the Mist Ninja captain knew that saying all too well. Yet no matter how well he knew it, he still realized something terrifying.
"Damn it!"
His gaze had already met the Sharingan boy's!
He reacted swiftly and tried to close his eyes, but he could already feel a strange chakra spreading through his mind.
At that moment, his mind went blank. All that remained was the pair of crimson Three Tomoe, slowly spinning in his head.
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