He Had to Kill Him Tonight

The ranking system for shinobi in this world was a little different from what Shin had known in his previous life. Or, to put it another way, it was the same as what he had known before, only divided into more detailed tiers.

For example, based on what Shin had known in his previous life, the Naruto world should have had Genin, Chunin, Special Jonin, Jonin, and Kage Level.

Here, however, the ranks were Genin, Chunin, Special Jonin, Jonin, Elite Jonin, Peak Jonin, and, at the very top, the powerful clan leaders.

In this era, the Jonin rank was divided into three distinct stages.

Shin had found it a little hard to adjust when he first arrived, but after thinking it over, he understood. Even in the original story, there had been hints of this distinction; they simply hadn't spelled it out.

Take Kakashi, for example. In the original story, Kakashi became a Jonin at the age of twelve, but was he in the same rank then as he was later on?

It was only after arriving in this world that Shin learned how the ranks were divided. Twelve-year-old Kakashi was classified as a Jonin, Kakashi at the start of the story was an Elite Jonin, and after awakening his Mangekyo and mastering Kamui, he became a Peak Jonin.

The difference in strength between the ranks was clear. An Elite Jonin could defeat a Jonin in a one-on-one fight in just ten moves.

The Hyuga Jonin Shin and Madara had fought tooth and nail to kill last time had only been a Jonin, nothing more. He wasn't in the same league as the three standing before him.

"Three Elite Jonin? You really think highly of me!" Shin drew in a sharp breath and turned to Hyuga Tamamo.

Hyuga Tamamo smiled at him. "Never underestimate an enemy. That's a universal rule for shinobi. When fighting a genius, bring out everything you've got. You should understand that, right?"

Shin gave an awkward laugh and said nothing. He wasn't too worried about his situation. Before coming here, he'd planted a Flying Thunder God Kunai at Uchiha Tadashi's place. If he wanted, he could retreat at any time. Even an Elite Jonin couldn't stop him.

While talking to Hyuga Tamamo, he unrolled the scroll he'd just taken out and gave it a pulse of chakra. A large number of Kunai immediately flew in every direction, some landing on the ground, others embedding themselves in the walls. One even landed at Hyuga Tamamo's feet.

Everyone was startled by Shin's sudden move. An Elite Jonin appeared in front of Hyuga Tamamo in an instant, watching Shin warily. He didn't believe Shin could pull anything off right under his nose, but it never hurt to be careful. If his carelessness let the enemy hurt the princess, he would be in serious trouble.

Seeing how tensely they watched him, Shin smiled innocently. He'd learned this move from Minato Namikaze in the original story. Back when he'd watched Naruto, he had seen Minato scatter Kunai across the ground before fighting the Fourth Raikage and his brother. He'd thought the move was ridiculously underhanded, practically shameless—but it suited Shin just fine.

"Relax, they're just Kunai." As he spoke to distract them, his mind raced through the possibilities. Three Elite Jonin. There's no way I can beat them head-on. But Hyuga Tamamo herself is only around Chunin level. If I can grab her, I might still have a chance. And those seven Chunin are worth a thousand points each. If I can't get to Hyuga Tamamo, I'll take them out and then escape with the Flying Thunder God.

"Stop wasting time. Kill him. We've already spent too long here, and we're not far from the Uchiha Clan Compound. Someone might notice us." Hyuga Tamamo's gaze turned cold as she spoke.

The moment she gave the order, the other two Elite Jonin sprang into action. In an instant, two figures closed in on Uchiha Shin from either side, their long swords poised to pierce his body.

They're almost twice as fast as that Jonin from last time. They're already close to the limit of what my Three Tomoe can track. So this is the strength of an Elite Jonin? Shin activated the Flying Thunder God Technique in a flash.

Shinobi in the Warring States Period mostly fought with Taijutsu, using ninjutsu as a supplement. Few specialized in just one area. The Hyuga Clan excelled at Taijutsu, and Elite Jonin from their clan were among the best in the entire Warring States Period, far surpassing others of the same rank. They were exceptionally confident in their speed, even believing that when it came to Taijutsu alone, neither the Senju nor the Uchiha could match them.

That was why they were so confident in their attacks. A five-year-old Uchiha brat—even if he truly was a once-in-a-millennium genius—hadn't even reached Jonin rank yet. How could he possibly dodge their strikes?

But their swords struck nothing. To their disbelief, the child before them vanished without warning. Even with their skill, they couldn't track him.

"Rasengan!" Shin suddenly appeared behind one of the Elite Jonin, a Rasengan already formed in his right hand as he drove it toward the man's back.

"Naive!"

The Elite Jonin sneered. With his Byakugan's field of vision, he'd spotted Shin the instant he appeared. His sword stabbed backward, swift as a Thunderbolt and aimed straight at Shin's throat. At that speed, Shin would be cut down before his Rasengan could hit the man's back.

Damn it! Shin cursed under his breath and vanished again, reappearing behind the other Elite Jonin. But another icy blade was waiting for him.

Whoosh!

The sword stabbed through empty air again. In an instant, the area around the two men was filled with images of Uchiha Shin, left behind as he repeatedly used the Flying Thunder God Technique. It was the first time the two Elite Jonin had encountered a technique from outside their era. Their Byakugan fixed on every side without blinking. They had thought their clan leader was making a fuss by sending all three of them to kill one Uchiha brat, but now it seemed he'd been far-sighted. A monster like this had to die. They couldn't give him the slightest chance to grow stronger.

Shin kept jumping between the Kunai with the Flying Thunder God Technique, constantly searching for an opening. But the two Elite Jonin were far too experienced. Their focus never wavered, and they left no openings. With the Byakugan to aid them, Shin even suspected that the moment he appeared, they would launch a merciless attack.

Whoosh...

Shin appeared on the roof of a distant thatched hut, the Rasengan still spinning in his hand. At last, he gave up on trying to find an opening. Killing an Elite Jonin was still too difficult for him. One wrong move, and he'd be the one to die.

Bang!

Eight Trigrams Air-Shattering Slash!

A powerful blade of chakra struck the hut almost as soon as Shin appeared. The entire building shattered, sending up a huge cloud of dust that obscured the result of the attack.

"He dodged it!" said the Elite Jonin who had swung the blade, unable to keep his voice calm. He couldn't understand how a Special Jonin like Shin had managed it.

"I've never seen such a bizarre technique. We have to kill him tonight! We can't give him the chance to grow stronger." The other Elite Jonin tightened his grip on his sword, his voice brimming with killing intent.