Uchiha Chen

October 13, Year 51.

The third day after the Night of the Nine-Tails.

Bright sunlight filtered through the thick clouds, casting the familiar outline of Kage Rock over the village.

But the once-bustling streets now lay in ruins. Bloodstains that hadn't been fully washed away were still faintly visible among the rubble.

Three nights ago, Konoha had lost the Fourth Hokage, more than twenty elite jonin, and nearly a thousand other ninja. The civilian casualties were beyond counting. Almost every household was in mourning.

On top of that, the Konoha Great Barrier, built by the Uzumaki Clan themselves, had been almost completely destroyed by the Nine-Tails. The entire village was left defenseless, and spies from other villages and ambitious schemers with their own agendas only added to the chaos.

"Chaos is a ladder!"

Kazuma, one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, crossed the barrier's many breaches and slipped happily into the woods, heading toward the capital of the Land of Fire.

Just a few nights ago, during the Night of the Nine-Tails, he had risked his life to collect the source of the Nine-Tails Chakra that had dispersed when the Fourth Hokage sealed the Nine-Tails. He had sealed it away using a sealing technique unique to him.

"Now all that's left is to wait patiently for the rewards!"

As he sped through the forest, Kazuma could barely contain his excitement. He began imagining what he would do next:

Use this Chakra to create a fake Jinchuriki. When Konoha weakened, use the Daimyo's power to suppress the village. Then take the position of general of the Land of Fire.

Whoosh!

A Kunai shot toward him at high speed and buried itself in the tree beneath his feet, interrupting his reverie.

"Who are you? Why are you near Konoha?"

At the clear, sharp shout, a handsome young man leaped onto a giant tree in front of Kazuma. His crimson eyes fixed on Kazuma.

The Sharingan. Three-Tomoe!

Kazuma's heart tightened. He dared not look at the boy's face again and instinctively wanted to shield the Sealing Scroll in his robes.

No!

Kazuma's hand stopped halfway. He forced himself to spread his hands to show he meant no harm, then watched the Uchiha Clan Crest on the boy's clothes, sizing him up from the corner of his eye.

No sign of a Transformation Technique, and with that handsome face...

Uchiha Chen!

The boy's information flashed through Kazuma's mind:

Uchiha Chen, a Konoha prodigy, sixteen years old, promoted to elite jonin two years ago. Skilled in Fire Style, swordsmanship, and Medical Ninjutsu.

At his age...

Even with the Three-Tomoe, I have to kill him! I can't let anything I did in Konoha leak out!

Kazuma was already consumed by murderous intent, but his face grew even more amiable and harmless as he pretended to explain:

"I'm Kazuma, one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja. I came on the Daimyo's orders to consult the Hokage. I'm on my way back to the capital to report to the Daimyo. I have an identification badge and documents to prove it!"

With that, Kazuma took out the items that could prove his identity and showed them to Uchiha Chen from a distance.

"I see. Sorry to trouble you, sir."

"No trouble! I've heard of your heroic deeds on the battlefield, Chen, even in the Capital of Fire!"

The tense atmosphere eased.

Uchiha Chen gave Kazuma a bright, boyish smile as he walked toward him. Kazuma took the opportunity to heap on a few more compliments, and the distance between them continued to shrink.

The instant they came within ten meters of each other—the optimal range for a typical ninjutsu attack—

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

"Die! Earth Style: Earth Rising Spears!"

The two men dropped their pleasantries and turned on each other. Their fingers moved in a blur as they formed Hand Seals almost simultaneously and unleashed their signature techniques.

As expected, it wasn't going to be that easy!

Uchiha Chen let out a quiet sigh, then drew the long sword at his waist with a backhanded motion and cut through the Earth Rising Spears that had pierced the sea of flames.

He had been watching Kazuma for a long time!

Uchiha Chen's special ability required an enormous amount of Chakra to work.

But in the Shinobi World, none of the massive sources of Chakra—whether Tailed Beasts or the Dragon Vein—were within reach of a mere elite jonin like him.

"I'm taking that Nine-Tails Chakra!"

Slash!

The famous blade in Uchiha Chen's hand rang with a clear, crisp note as its gleaming edge traced a hazy arc.

Clang!

Kazuma gripped a finely crafted Kunai in both hands and turned sideways to block the strike, sliding back two steps to absorb its force.

"Another slash!"

Uchiha Chen sprang into the air and sent brilliant blade-light after brilliant blade-light crashing down on Kazuma.

In the blink of an eye, the Kunai and the long sword clashed dozens of times, forcing Kazuma farther and farther back.

As he parried, Kazuma could only keep his eyes on Uchiha Chen's waist, doing everything he could to avoid meeting his Sharingan. He was already at a disadvantage.

Clang!

The clash was followed by the sound of tearing cloth and a muffled groan from Kazuma. A cut opened along his side.

In that instant, Kazuma abandoned his Kunai and used the minor injury to put some distance between himself and Uchiha Chen. He quickly formed Hand Seals.

"Earth Style: Hardening Technique!"

Reinforcing his body with Earth Style to withstand Uchiha Chen's sweeping sword strikes was the best option the experienced Kazuma could come up with in the moment.

Kazuma had barely finished forming the Hand Seals when another blade gleaming coldly like blood flashed before his eyes.

But this time, he didn't block it. Instead, he suddenly charged forward and raised one hand to meet the blade.

The long sword sank three inches into his flesh, but he managed to stop it.

Blood spattered. With one hand gripping the blade, Kazuma's lips curled into a smile.

Now all it'll take is one Hardening Technique-enhanced punch to smash this Uchiha brat's head in!

Wait, what's that?

The upright blade suddenly changed direction. Its clear, watery edge gleamed white as a mirror, reflecting the boy's smile and crimson eyes.

Kazuma was horrified. He knew he was in trouble.

I actually met an Uchiha's gaze. I'm finished!

Genjutsu: Sharingan.

What was I doing? Right, I was fighting!

Who was I fighting?

After a brief moment of confusion, Kazuma clenched his fist and suddenly wanted to look up at the person he was fighting.

So he stared straight into those crimson Sharingan.

So I'm fighting Uchiha Chen. I'm finished!

I still had several forbidden techniques I hadn't had a chance to use. Damn Uchiha! Damn Sharingan!

Demonic Illusion: Sharingan!

"Two layers of genjutsu?"

After forcing out his question, Kazuma sank into the mire of the illusion and collapsed to the ground like a puppet whose Chakra Threads had been cut.

"Three! Every flash of my blade as I swung it was a suggestion, drawing your eyes to the sword!"

After giving Kazuma a quick death, Uchiha Chen wiped his sword with a flourish, sheathed it, and crouched to pull a fine scroll from the corpse's robes.

Even through its many layers of seals, he could sense the terrifying power within.

A sinister Chakra darker than darkness and redder than blood,

the power of the calamity beast, the embodiment of a thousand years of hatred, and the favorite mount handpicked by Uchiha Madara—

—the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox.

After destroying the body with a single Fire Style technique, Uchiha Chen gripped the scroll. At last, he couldn't help smiling.

"Now, the future is in my hands!"

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