Scorch Release vs. Water Release

Not fatal! But it'll hurt!

Denji's heart lurched. He stared at the four shuriken as if he'd entered a state of flow. Time seemed to slow around him.

The trajectories of the Chakra Threads were crystal clear before his eyes. He drew two shuriken from his waist and flung them.

Two sharp clangs rang out!

He'd knocked them down, but the other two were already hurtling toward his ankles.

There was no time.

The Manipulated Shuriken Technique was famous for its ability to alter the shuriken's trajectory. Even if he dodged, the remaining two could still curve around and hit him.

He didn't hesitate any longer.

The Akimichi Chakra Refinement Technique, at Transcendent Mastery, surged into motion. Chakra flowed across his body, forming a thin red film over his skin.

He darted straight backward, kicking up dust. The dirt beneath his feet was so hot it left black scorch marks.

But how could Shimura Danzō have failed to account for that? Hidden Chakra Threads had already blocked his escape route. Even a charging tiger would be tightly bound by the specially crafted threads.

Akimichi Denji saw them, but didn't slow down.

The moment the Chakra Threads touched Denji, they gave a faint twang. Then they melted through and snapped apart.

He broke free and, without looking back, sprinted toward the heart of his clan's territory like a madman.

He knew that, now he'd revealed his Scorch Release, he was clearly even more valuable in Danzō's eyes.

But there was an upside, too. With Scorch Release active, he didn't have to fear ordinary ninja tools. Even shuriken thrown at him would melt in the intense heat.

As for Sasuke Uchiha, he wasn't worried at all.

First, they were already close to the heart of Uchiha territory. Shimura Danzō surely wouldn't dare make a big move against Sasuke there.

Second, Shimura Danzō wouldn't dare openly target the Uchiha Clan right now. After all, it would be another year before he joined forces with Uchiha Itachi to begin the Night of the Clan Massacre.

But Denji wasn't so safe. He'd spent years in the Land of Rain as a child and could be suspected of being a spy. He was already at a disadvantage, reputation-wise. If Danzō captured him, he could even claim he was cleaning house for the Akimichi Clan and putting its affairs in order!

Shimura Danzō narrowed his eyes. "So this is Scorch Release?"

"It looks like a variant of Fire Release combined with another kind of chakra."

His hands never stopped moving.

C-rank Ninjutsu: Water Release: Water Ball Technique!

A water bullet shot toward Denji. The instant it hit him, it hissed.

The Water Ball Technique, powerful enough to knock down a Genin, vanished into vapor.

The impact passed through Denji's body, but he rolled forward with the force of the blow, carrying himself farther ahead.

Danzō's eyes lit up. He knew the Water Ball Technique had been strong enough to knock down a Genin. And Akimichi Denji's Kekkei Genkai had just let him withstand the Water Release without injury.

But he'd noticed something: the glow of Scorch Release around Denji had dimmed a little. It seemed that neutralizing that C-rank technique had cost him chakra.

Even so, it was impressive. Denji had only started refining chakra a couple of days ago, yet he already had the ability to withstand a Genin's attacks.

Denji still didn't look back. He didn't care what Danzō thought. He just wanted to get as far away from that Pot Kage as possible.

The defensive effects of Scorch Release let him withstand most Water Release Ninjutsu without injury, but his chakra was limited. Blocking that Water Ball Technique had already drained nearly a quarter of it.

Now he could only run to the Akimichi Clan and ask for help.

Thanks to the Akimichi physique and the points he'd put into his physical stats earlier, he was much stronger than other children his age, and much faster, too. Running at full speed, he was almost as fast as a Genin.

"Let's see your limit, Akimichi Denji."

Shimura Danzō formed hand seals.

B-rank Ninjutsu: Water Release: Water Whip!

Shimura Danzō's Water Release Ninjutsu was renowned throughout the Shinobi World, passed down from Tobirama Senju.

The Second was best known for his Water Release Ninjutsu, and Danzō, his esteemed student, was highly skilled in it as well.

This time, he carefully controlled the technique's strength.

It was more than enough to bind even a Chunin.

Water gathered in midair, forming a whip that lashed toward the fleeing Akimichi Denji. With practiced ease, it wrapped around him.

Denji's body jerked to a halt.

Scorch Release and the Water Whip crackled against each other.

The water kept evaporating until the whip developed a hole as if it had been scorched through. Denji tore free and shot forward.

Shimura Danzō watched him with growing interest. Not bad. The boy already had the abilities of a Chunin.

This time, he didn't hold back.

D-rank Ninjutsu: Earth Release: Headhunter Technique.

Akimichi Denji sensed the ground shifting and dodged to the side.

But this time, Shimura Danzō's technique covered too wide an area. Denji still couldn't get clear of its range.

The instant his foot touched the ground, he felt it give way beneath him, dragging him deep underground.

Just as Shimura Danzō was about to succeed, a voice rang out from afar. "Stop!"

A dark figure flashed past. With a light touch, he pulled Akimichi Denji free of the earth, then landed on open ground.

The newcomer wore a black cloak over a flak jacket, an animal mask hanging at his waist. His neat black hair fell around a pale face, and his gaze was sharp.

"Brother!" Sasuke shouted excitedly.

"Lord Danzō, please don't attack the villagers," Uchiha Itachi said coldly.

He'd just returned from the Anbu after submitting a mission report and was on his way home when he saw Shimura Danzō about to attack Sasuke and his companion in the street. If it had been anyone else, he might have turned a blind eye. After all, Shimura Danzō was the famous Hokage's aide.

But Sasuke was involved. He couldn't ignore it.

Seeing who it was, Shimura Danzō stopped. He'd only meant to test Denji and see his talent for himself.

Even as the Hokage's aide, he couldn't simply snatch someone in broad daylight in the middle of the village.

Besides, there was an easier way.

All he had to do was return and put pressure on the Akimichi Clan, threaten them, and accuse Akimichi Denji of being a spy from the Land of Rain. With the boy having no proper standing, Danzō could easily take him under his wing and make him serve the Root Organization.

He'd done the same thing before with Yamanaka Yue, the Yamanaka Clan's prodigy. He was confident it would work again.

It hadn't even crossed his mind that the Akimichi Clan might refuse. As far as he was concerned, these ninja clans put their own interests above Konoha's.

I'll dirty my hands to make Konoha prosper.

As for that old man Hiruzen—

By the time it was all done, there'd be nothing he could do.

But the newcomer was a brat from the Uchiha Clan, and Shimura Danzō's gaze grew more impatient.

"Another naturally evil Uchiha brat."

He glanced at Akimichi Denji and left them with a parting remark. "We'll meet again, Denji."

Uchiha Itachi and Akimichi Denji watched Shimura Danzō leave.

Uchiha Itachi knew that the man called the Darkness of the Shinobi, the Hokage's aide, was no good person.

But he couldn't understand why he'd gone after two children.

Still, as a member of the Uchiha Clan and an Anbu Ninja under the Hokage, he had no authority over Danzō.