Shadow Writing Dust Realm

Of course!

Uchiha Ao sighed inwardly.

The only thing in Konoha that mattered most to Orochimaru was research related to immortality.

In the future, Orochimaru would even take Danzo in and modify his right arm. The research materials of the Second were probably what Danzo had offered in exchange.

"Research materials of the Second? Sensei, how do you know about that? Something so secret must be guarded extremely carefully..."

Ao asked suspiciously.

Orochimaru was about to say something when he suddenly sensed the people behind them drawing closer. Farther away, another squad was catching up.

"Those flies have caught up again."

"Sensei, go ahead! I'll hold them off."

"Don't die!"

"Don't worry. I'm not going to die that easily."

"If you can make it out of Konoha alive, I'll grant you one wish."

"Really?"

Uchiha Ao stopped and smiled.

He didn't want to make promises lightly, but a promise from Orochimaru was no small thing.

He had already settled on an idea.

As things stood, as long as he didn't face a Kage-level fighter, he was confident he could escape Konoha.

That confidence came from his increased strength.

Ao didn't hesitate. He said bluntly, "Sensei... I really do have a wish I've kept hidden for a long time... I want to get a Byakugan!"

Ever since Orochimaru had arranged for him to study Kekkei Genkai, he had been preparing for this.

He had set his sights on the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan.

The Byakugan was the second-greatest dōjutsu Kekkei Genkai, after the Uchiha Sharingan.

It was closely connected to the Otsutsuki bloodline.

It was also connected to the Tenseigan, which was on the same level as the Rinnegan.

Compared to the Rinnegan, which required Indra's power, evolving the Tenseigan was much more straightforward. It only required merging Otsutsuki power.

This could serve as a backup bloodline for the new body he would create in the future.

Orochimaru's departing figure paused. He nearly stumbled and fell.

He turned around and looked deeply at Uchiha Ao.

"Ao... having you around really is my good fortune..."

Even he hadn't dared set his sights on the Byakugan, yet this kid had.

"Once this is over, I'll find a way to grant your wish..."

"For now, just do a good job holding off those Anbu for me!"

Orochimaru suddenly picked up speed. No longer hiding his strength, he unleashed the full aura of a Kage-level fighter.

"Orochimaru, stop!"

Kakashi shouted, flinging several Shuriken from his palm.

"Kakashi, I'm your opponent!"

Seeing Kakashi ignore him, Ao felt a little disgruntled.

It was as if the guy didn't take him seriously.

Wasn't he worth being called the "Copy Ninja"?

As soon as he finished speaking, Ao lifted a hand. A wisp of spiritual energy emerged and knocked the Shuriken aside, sending them into a tree trunk.

"Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique!"

Kakashi had no intention of getting entangled with Uchiha Ao. His Three-Tomoe Sharingan spun, and an illusion immediately enveloped Ao.

"The captain's genjutsu is still amazing. That Uchiha went down so easily."

One of his subordinates couldn't help praising him.

Uchiha Inabi, standing not far away, heard this, and his face turned livid.

He glared at Uchiha Ao and cursed him as a useless coward who had no business copying someone else and defecting...

He was bringing shame on the Uchiha Clan!

As he was cursing Ao in his heart, his face suddenly changed. His eyes widened and his pupils contracted.

It was as if he'd seen something utterly terrifying.

"Hurry after them!"

Kakashi barked. Without wasting any words, he left the genjutsu-stricken Uchiha Ao to his subordinates and headed straight for the place Orochimaru had gone.

"Understood, Captain! I'll take care of this Uchiha and—"

Splurt!

A pale-blue Chakra Scalpel plunged into the Anbu member's chest, cutting off his words.

"Underestimating your enemy on the battlefield... Did you even graduate from the Ninja Academy?"

Ao's voice suddenly came from behind the Anbu member.

One slash!

The other Anbu, his comrade, had only just reacted and turned to look when a pair of Three-Tomoe Sharingan filled his vision.

Before he could close his eyes,

he was plunged into darkness.

Two slashes!

The Chakra Scalpel in Ao's hand easily cut through their throats.

Two elite Chunin Anbu had died just like that.

Not long ago, they had been enemies he'd have to fight desperately to defeat.

Now, they weren't even a match for him in a single exchange.

Kakashi stopped in his tracks...

The Sharingan in his eye suddenly unleashed its powerful visual prowess, instantly dispelling the illusion before him!

"You... Was that a genjutsu? No... There was no mental disturbance from a genjutsu."

Kakashi spoke uncertainly. He stopped and tensed, on guard.

He had clearly sensed a genjutsu being cast on Uchiha Ao, so why had Ao still been able to slip behind his comrades so easily?

Even the Sharingan hadn't noticed his movements.

What was going on!?

Uchiha Ao's figure disappeared again before his eyes.

"This technique is called Shadow Writing Dust Realm..."

Ao smiled slightly and murmured the words in his mind.

He enjoyed toying with Kakashi, and couldn't help feeling pleased.

This was Kakashi!

The genius ninja he had once looked up to.

Now Kakashi was trapped by a technique Ao himself had created.

Shadow Writing Dust Realm was a new application of the Sharingan that Ao had developed by drawing on his soul's unique strengths.

It could also be called a variation of the Spirit Transformation Technique, empowered by the Sharingan and incorporating the use of spiritual energy.

It wasn't a genjutsu. Instead, it imprinted his soul's will as an afterimage on his enemy's optic nerves, creating a lifelike figure.

His figure alone was an illusion; everything around him was real.

This created a false impression that blurred the line between "real" and "unreal," changing their ingrained perception of him and allowing him to achieve a kind of "invisibility."

This combat style, which alternated between "real" and "unreal," was different from the illusory world of genjutsu.

It greatly compensated for his weakness in Taijutsu.

People whose souls were weaker than his could hardly escape the effects of this technique.

Even Kakashi, with his Three-Tomoe Sharingan, couldn't identify the "illusion" in a real environment. And unlike with genjutsu, he couldn't break free by changing the flow of Chakra in his body.

The simplest way to counter it was to avoid looking at Ao's eyes.

After being attacked several times, Kakashi avoided any fatal blows, but Uchiha Ao left several nonlethal wounds on him.

Blood streamed from them.

As a Sharingan user, Kakashi quickly discovered and understood the secret behind the technique.

He immediately closed his Sharingan.

Darkness enveloped his vision.

But he listened to the sounds around him, using his ears to catch Uchiha Ao's next move!

"Got you!"

Kakashi instantly bent down, twisted around, and threw a Kunai, stabbing toward the space behind him.

Ao's expression changed slightly.

Wasn't Kakashi's battle sense terrifying?

He'd figured it out so quickly.

Faced with the Kunai, Ao could only unleash his Chakra to increase his movement speed and dodge.

"You can block my sight and distort what I see, but you can't escape my ears!"

Kakashi said coldly.

His right hand rested behind him, gripping the hilt of the White Fang blade. Calmly, he faced the spot where Uchiha Ao was.

He quickly pinpointed Ao's movements.

"What a troublesome opponent!"

"Our battle sense is worlds apart."

"Looks like I'm just not suited to fighting after all."

Ao shook his head as he spoke. He had far more Chakra than Kakashi, and the Sharingan gave him a two-to-one advantage, but he hadn't gained much of an edge in battle.

His weakness lay in his battle sense and movements. He was far behind an elite who had come up through the battlefield, like Kakashi.

But that was only natural. He had arrived in this world just a few months ago. How could his combat experience compare to that of a veteran like Kakashi, who had spent nearly ten years fighting on the battlefield?

Keep fighting desperately?

Impossible.

Not to mention the Uchiha approaching from afar.

Even if he could wear Kakashi down, he wouldn't come away unscathed. The more wounded Kakashi was, the more tenacious his will became.

There was no point in dragging things out.

Ao made up his mind.

"Then let's try this technique..."

He began to slowly form Hand Seals, his clumsy movements like those of a student who had only recently begun to learn.

As the seals were completed,

the enormous Chakra within him began flowing through the technique, guided into action.

It was a technique he had encountered while studying Kinoe, a power unique to the First.

"Ao, surrender!"

Uchiha Inabi rushed over from afar and shouted. A trace of astonishment still lingered on his face.

Ao's ruthless display just now had been completely unlike the coward he'd known before.

"Stop resisting for nothing!"

"Come back with us and accept your punishment. We'll gouge out your eyes and sever the meridians in your limbs! You'll still get to keep your life."

Uchiha Inabi led several Uchiha Clan members over, looking down at Uchiha Ao as if victory were assured. He regarded him like a dead dog, wearing an air of pity.

That was the most he could promise.

Konoha had never cared whether a missing-nin was captured alive or dead.

No one could escape when surrounded by so many Uchiha ninjas!

Yet Uchiha Ao merely raised his head a little and glanced at them.

He didn't reply.

He parted his lips slightly and spoke a few words that were rather obscure in Konoha.

"Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!"

Ao slammed both hands onto the ground, pressing his palms firmly into the soil as Yang Release Chakra poured out of him.

After entering the earth, it began to sprout at incredible speed.

Rumble!

The earth rolled like a dragon!

Wood Release, at two or three tenths the scale of the First's, erupted without warning. Countless vines, each a meter thick, burst from the ground, transforming the entire battlefield.

Caught completely off guard, several Uchiha were pierced by the vines and lifted high into the air, screaming in agony.

Kakashi darted and weaved, constantly dodging the vines' attacks. He had no time to keep close track of Uchiha Ao's movements.

Wood Release, unseen for decades, had reappeared in the world!

In an instant, a dense forest spread across a radius of several hundred meters, transforming the entire battlefield and catching all the pursuers off guard. It also drew widespread attention from Konoha.

Even Orochimaru, who was almost at Kage Rock, couldn't help turning to look.

"What a kid..."

Orochimaru exclaimed. He was really risking his life for a Byakugan!

With all this commotion, he'd drawn most of the attention away. Wasn't he afraid of being left behind in Konoha?

Interesting.

Looks like he'd have to get him a pair of Byakugan. Otherwise, it would be awkward the next time they met.

At the same time, Shimura Danzō, who had been watching from the Hokage Building, noticed what was happening. Ignoring the Third's warning, he immediately headed for the site of the Wood Release.