The Fourteen Great Families of the Land of Fire

The series of unexpected events left the Blood Ninja stunned, completely unable to grasp what had just transpired. Wasn't that Uchiha child trying to save the person? Why did he kill him instead? How was that any different from him doing the killing? Could it be that the two had a grudge?

"Do you two have a grudge?" The Blood Ninja couldn't figure it out, so he simply asked directly.

"No grudge," Shin answered bluntly.

"Then why did you kill him?" the Blood Ninja asked, bewildered.

"It's not just him I'm going to kill; I'm going to kill you too!" Shin stated.

The Blood Ninja froze, then broke into a wide grin: "Haha, a Special Jonin actually has the audacity to say he's going to kill me. That's hilarious."

Shin ignored him, merely gripping his kunai, his Three Tomoe staring coldly at him without a word.

The Blood Ninja laughed twice, but then the laughter died in his throat, for he realized the killing intent in Shin's eyes was the kind that only came from someone who had truly taken lives. This brat... really wanted to kill him.

The Blood Ninja scrutinized Shin carefully. He saw the boy dressed in the black robes of the Uchiha, a long sword held in his arms. He looked no older than five, yet his demeanor was steady, not at all like a child. The Three Tomoe in his eyes were as bewitching as blood, and he was undoubtedly a Special Jonin. He couldn't help but sneer: "I've long heard that the Uchiha clan are arrogant, and seeing you today confirms it. A five-year-old child, you are indeed a monstrous talent to reach Special Jonin at this age, but to be so arrogant as to hunt me down is simply seeking your own death. That boy named Chiba was also from one of the fourteen great clans of the Land of Fire; even if they aren't as prestigious as your Uchiha, they are still a first-rate clan, and he still died by my hand. If you're looking to die, brat, don't blame me."

If Shin had been a full Jonin, the Blood Ninja would have had no intention of fighting and would have fled immediately. He remembered all too well how badly he had been beaten the last time he encountered a Jonin from the Senju Clan. Although he had won in the end, it was mostly due to luck. The Uchiha were as famous as the Senju, and the reputation of the Sharingan was even more renowned throughout the Warring States period. It was no empty boast that they could turn the tide in a one-on-one fight at the same rank.

"The fourteen great clans of the Land of Fire?" Shin raised an eyebrow, a hint of interest appearing on his face. This was the first time he had heard such a classification; no one in the clan had ever mentioned it before.

Seeing this, the Blood Ninja sneered: "So you're just a fledgling who has never left the clan. Given your age, I suppose this is your first mission. What a pity you're about to die. Fine, I'll enlighten you so you don't remain so ignorant in the afterlife."

The Blood Ninja was, of course, not being kind enough to "educate" Shin; he was merely trying to stall for time to recover the chakra in his body. Chiba Tengfei's strength was not to be underestimated; he had fought him for a long time and used several A-rank or higher ninjutsu, exhausting more than half of his chakra. Although he was confident he could take down a Special Jonin, he had developed a cautious habit on the battlefield—he would recover whenever he could. Falling into a trap due to carelessness was not uncommon in the Warring States period.

"Listen well, brat. The so-called fourteen great clans of the Land of Fire are the fourteen most powerful factions in the land: two Sects, three Houses, four Clans, and five Secret Arts families.

"The Uchiha and the Senju are the two strongest clans in the Warring States, and no one else can compare to them; they are the two Sects, the strongest of the fourteen. The three Houses are the Hyuga, the Kaguya, and the Onmyo, ranking just below the two Sects. The four Clans are the Uzumaki, the Sarutobi, the Fuma, and the Chiba. As for the five Secret Arts families, they refer to the five clans famous for their secret techniques: the Aburame, the Inuzuka, the Akimichi, the Nara, and the Yamanaka. Together, they are known as the fourteen great clans of the Land of Fire."

Shin silently recited the names of these fourteen families. Aside from the Onmyo, Fuma, and Chiba, which he hadn't heard of in the original story—and the Kaguya, which were a different matter—the other ten were all clans that would later participate in the founding of Konoha. At the same time, he understood why no one in his clan ever mentioned these "fourteen great clans." With the mindset of the Uchiha, how could they ever acknowledge such a thing? In their hearts, there was only one clan in the entire Warring States period: the Uchiha.

Perhaps, one might add the Senju, but as for a third? Absolutely not.

"Earth Release: Earth Stone Explosion! You're still too green, brat. Go to hell!" Seeing Shin lost in thought, the Blood Ninja seized the opportunity and struck suddenly. He pressed both hands to the ground, and the earth suddenly cracked, a pitch-black fissure snaking toward Shin like lightning.

Immediately after!

A deafening roar erupted.

Fine, jagged stones sprayed out like shuriken, covering a range of over thirty meters. The buildings on both sides were instantly riddled with holes. Ordinary people inside couldn't dodge in time; the unlucky ones were turned into sieves, collapsing in terror, dying with their eyes wide open.

Looking at the site of the explosion, it had become a crater two meters long and one meter deep, with no sign of a body.

"Hahaha... a mere Special Jonin dares to hunt me? Remember this in your next life—not everyone is someone you can provoke. The Uchiha clan, bah!"

The Blood Ninja hadn't felt this triumphant in a long time. He had killed two disciples of great clans in a row without sustaining a single injury. Once he escaped to the Land of Earth and joined a new clan, this would be his leverage. The only pity was that the Uchiha brat had been torn to pieces by the force of the explosion; those Sharingans were valuable treasures. If he could have obtained them, there would have been countless benefits. But he wasn't greedy; if he couldn't get them, so be it. If he had obtained them, it might have drawn the endless pursuit of the Uchiha, and even a clan in the Land of Earth might not be able to protect him.

Just as he was preparing to gather some rations and turn to leave, a cold glint suddenly magnified before his eyes. He was startled and instinctively sidestepped, dodging the glint—it was a kunai.

"What's going on? Did another ninja come to hunt me?" The Blood Ninja's heart sank. He turned around and was shocked to see Shin standing in the same spot where he had been watching earlier, yet he hadn't sensed a thing.

"Where are you looking?"

A voice suddenly came from beside his ear, and a cold light flashed.

"How is this possible!" The Blood Ninja's pupils contracted violently. The child who had been far away a moment ago—how could he suddenly appear before him and strike with a sword?

His years of combat experience saved him. Before his mind could even react, his body moved on its own. His right hand met the strike with a kunai, and he pushed off the ground, instantly activating the Body Flicker Technique.

However, because his defense was hurried, he only managed to deflect the sword's trajectory, failing to block it entirely. When he flickered to the rear, he felt a chill on his forehead. He reached up to touch it, and his hand came away covered in blood; a gash had been cut into his brow.

When he looked back, the child was still standing in the original spot, as if he had never moved. An inexplicable fear welled up in his heart; he had never encountered such a bizarre situation.