Scorch Release vs. Water Release

Not fatal! But it would cause injury!

Akimichi Denji felt a jolt in his heart. Watching those four shuriken, he seemed to enter a state of flow. The time around him slowed to a crawl.

The trajectories of the chakra threads were clearly visible before him, and his hands flicked, launching two shuriken from his waist.

Bang! Bang! Two crisp sounds of impact rang out!

He had successfully knocked them down, but two more were flying rapidly toward his ankles.

It was too late.

Furthermore, the fame of the Manipulated Shuriken Technique lay in the fact that its trajectory could change; even if he dodged, the remaining two shuriken could still curve and strike him.

He did not hesitate any longer.

Operating the master-level Akimichi Chakra Refinement Technique, he channeled chakra across his body, coating his skin in a thin, red film.

He retreated straight backward, kicking up dust, the ground beneath his feet scorched with black burn marks.

But how could Shimura Danzō have failed to account for this? Hidden chakra threads had already sealed his path; even a charging tiger would be firmly bound by the specially crafted wires.

Akimichi Denji saw them, but he did not stop his pace.

The moment the chakra threads touched Akimichi Denji, a faint "pop" sounded, followed by the threads being melted through and snapping apart.

Having broken free from the blockade, he did not look back, running like a madman toward the heart of his clan's territory.

He knew clearly that having exposed his Scorch Release, he was now significantly more valuable in the eyes of Shimura Danzō.

However, the advantage was that, having unleashed the Scorch Release, he no longer feared conventional ninja tools; even shuriken aimed at him would be melted away by the high heat.

As for Uchiha Sasuke, he was not worried at all.

First, this was already near the Uchiha heartland, and Shimura Danzō certainly wouldn't dare to make a major move against Sasuke here.

Second, Shimura Danzō certainly wouldn't dare to openly strike at the Uchiha Clan right now, as the Uchiha Clan's annihilation night, in league with Uchiha Itachi, was still a year away.

But he himself was a different story. Having spent many years in the Land of Rain since childhood, he was suspected of being a spy, and his reputation already lacked any advantage. Perhaps if he were captured, Danzō could claim he was merely cleaning house for the Akimichi Clan and purging their ranks!

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

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

The movements of his hands did not stop.

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

A water bullet shot toward Denji, and the moment it touched him, it let out a sizzling sound.

The Water Ball Technique, powerful enough to knock down a genin, finally turned into moisture and vanished completely.

The force of the impact was transmitted to Denji, but he used the momentum of the Water Ball Technique to roll forward, putting more distance between them.

Danzō's eyes lit up. He knew that the previous Water Ball Technique was enough to knock down a genin, yet Akimichi Denji had used his Kekkei Genkai to achieve a damage-free Water Release effect.

However, he noticed that the glow of the Scorch Release operating on Akimichi Denji's body had dimmed slightly; it seemed that neutralizing that C-rank ninjutsu had also consumed his chakra.

Even so, it was worthy of praise. After all, Akimichi Denji had only been refining chakra for two days and already possessed the ability to withstand a genin.

Denji still did not look back. He didn't care what Danzō thought; he just wanted to get away from this Pot Kage as quickly as possible.

The defensive effect provided by the Scorch Release allowed him to remain unharmed by most Water Release ninjutsu, but his chakra was limited; just resisting that one Water Ball Technique had already depleted nearly a quarter of his reserves.

Now, he could only run to the Akimichi Clan and seek help.

Thanks to the Akimichi Clan's physique and his previous stat allocations, his constitution was much stronger than that of his peers, and his speed was significantly faster; running at full tilt, he was almost on par with the speed of a genin.

"Let me see your limit, Akimichi Denji."

Shimura Danzō formed hand seals.

B-rank Ninjutsu, Water Release, Water Whip!

Shimura Danzō's Water Release ninjutsu were quite famous in the ninja world, inherited from Tobirama.

The Second Hokage was most famous for his Water Release ninjutsu, and as his disciple, the supreme Danzō possessed deep attainments in Water Release.

At this moment, he controlled the power of the ninjutsu perfectly.

It was more than enough to bind a chunin.

The flowing water condensed into a whip in the air and lashed out at the running Akimichi Denji, expertly binding him in one go.

Akimichi Denji's figure stalled.

The Scorch Release on his body and the Water Whip emitted a fine, crackling sound.

But the flowing water was continuously evaporated, and then the whip seemed to be burned through, snapped by the force of Denji's charge as he broke free.

Shimura Danzō was delighted by the hunt. Not bad, he already possessed the level of a chunin at such a young age.

This time, he did not hold back.

D-rank Ninjutsu, Earth Release, Headhunter Technique.

Akimichi Denji keenly sensed the change in the soil and dodged to the side.

However, the range of the ninjutsu Shimura Danzō unleashed this time was too vast, and he still failed to escape its area of effect.

The moment his feet touched the ground, a soft, yielding sensation surged up, dragging him deep into the earth.

Just as Shimura Danzō was about to succeed, a shout of "Stop" echoed from afar.

A black shadow drifted past, pulling Akimichi Denji from the soil with the lightness of a dragonfly skimming water, before landing on the open ground.

The newcomer wore a black cloak and vest, an animal mask hanging at his waist, his sleek black hair hanging down, his face pale, and his gaze sharp.

"Brother!" Sasuke shouted excitedly.

"Lord Danzō, please do not lay a hand on the villagers."

Uchiha Itachi spoke in a cold, stern voice.

He had just returned home after submitting a mission report to the Anbu when he saw Shimura Danzō attempting to strike at Sasuke and his companion on the street; if it were anyone else, he might have turned a blind eye, as this was the renowned Hokage's advisor, Shimura Danzō.

But because it concerned Sasuke, he could not simply look away.

Seeing the newcomer, Shimura Danzō ceased his movements; after all, he had only been testing the waters today, wanting to see Denji's talent for himself.

Even as the esteemed Hokage's advisor, he could not simply seize people in broad daylight within the village.

Besides, there were simpler methods.

As long as he returned to pressure the Akimichi clan and issued a few threats, claiming Akimichi Denji was a spy for the Land of Rain, he could easily justify taking Akimichi Denji into his grasp to be driven by his Root organization.

He had done the same previously with the Yamanaka clan's genius, Yamanaka Yue, and he believed he would succeed this time as well.

As for the possibility of being refused by the Akimichi, he had never even considered it; in his view, these ninja clans placed their own family interests above those of Konoha.

I have no choice but to dirty my hands to build the prosperity of Konoha.

As for that old man Hiruzen.

By the time the matter was settled, there would be nothing he could do.

However, seeing that the newcomer was a brat from the Uchiha clan, Shimura Danzō's eyes grew increasingly impatient.

"Naturally evil Uchiha brat."

Glancing at Akimichi Denji, he left behind a single sentence: "We will meet again, Denji."

Uchiha Itachi and Akimichi Denji watched as Shimura Danzō departed.

Uchiha Itachi knew very well that this Hokage's advisor, known as the Darkness of the Shinobi, was no saint.

Yet, he could not fathom why he would lay a hand on two children.

But as a member of the Uchiha clan and an Anbu ninja under the Hokage, he had no authority to interfere with Danzō.