Slaying a Special Jonin (Part 1)

Taking advantage of the night's cover, the Hyuga Clan ninjas infiltrating the Uchiha compound leaped continuously across the rooftops, spotting a large crowd gathered in front of the central meeting hall from a distance.

"What is going on? Could our intelligence have been leaked? Are these people here to ambush us?" The speaker was Hyuga Kokuten, one of the two Special Jonin who had come on this mission.

Hearing his words, the rest of the Hyuga ninjas noticeably faltered, their steps hesitating; if the Uchiha Clan truly knew of their plan, given the opponent's strength, it was unlikely they would leave here alive.

"Calm down. As ninjas, we must remain composed at all times. Look closely at that group—they are mostly children of the Uchiha Clan. They cannot be here to ambush us unless the Uchiha have all gone mad." The team leader, the only Jonin present, spoke calmly.

All the Hyuga ninjas couldn't help but look carefully, and sure enough, seeing that those standing before the hall were merely children, their hearts were immediately put at ease.

Hyuga Kokuten still frowned slightly, saying, "This matter still feels strange. Could the Uchiha be using these children as bait to lure us in so they can surround us?"

The other Hyuga Special Jonin let out a cold laugh; he had never gotten along well with Hyuga Kokuten. "Don't be ridiculous. We saw their Third Elder leave with a large number of guard ninjas with our own eyes today. Aside from the remaining children, there is no force in their compound capable of ambushing us. If you're scared, just say so; I'll allow you to tremble behind me. It wouldn't be the first time, anyway."

"Both of you, shut up!"

Seeing the two on the verge of a verbal conflict, the Hyuga Jonin reprimanded them directly; he could not allow his subordinates to engage in infighting now.

"Regardless of the situation, since we are here, we shall go and see for ourselves. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; if we succeed, we will have rendered a great service to the clan."

"Yes!"

Since the captain had spoken, everyone had no choice but to accept the order, accelerating their pace toward the meeting hall.

"They're here, and they're fast!"

Uchiha Shin took a deep breath, gripping a Kunai in each hand. Uchiha Madara had originally wanted to give him a katana, but Shin had declined, saying he wasn't used to using one.

The thirteen Hyuga ninjas landed on the roof of the hall. The leading Jonin looked coldly at everyone below and asked icily, "What are you doing here?"

Uchiha Madara gave a sinister smile, growing even more excited. "Naturally, we were waiting for you!"

The Hyuga Jonin's eyes narrowed slightly. "So, you knew about our plan for tonight?"

Uchiha Madara, having lost patience with the small talk, drew his katana and pointed it directly at the man's face. "You ask too many questions. You only need to know that not only will you die here tonight, but you will also become the stepping stone for my, Uchiha Madara's, rise to fame."

"Though I really don't want to complain, your dialogue, so full of adolescent angst, is making me feel very stifled." Shin, standing to the side, glanced at the two of them. His gaze was like that of someone watching two monkeys, yet the two men remained oblivious, instead reveling in the moment.

"Die here? By your hand?" The Hyuga Jonin seemed to have heard the funniest joke in the world and couldn't help but sneer. An eight-year-old Uchiha child claiming he would kill him—it was truly laughable.

"Too much talk. Shin, I'm going in; leave the rest to you." Uchiha Madara crouched slightly, transforming into a black blur as he charged out. In an instant, he reached the Jonin, his katana reflecting a cold glint as he slashed downward.

So fast!

The thought flashed through the minds of both the Hyuga Jonin and Uchiha Shin simultaneously.

However, the Hyuga Jonin was a Jonin after all; he shifted slightly to the side, dodging the strike with ease, while simultaneously drawing the long blade from his back and countering with a slash toward Uchiha Madara, his speed as swift as a gale.

Uchiha Madara's gaze sharpened. While in mid-air, he performed a near-impossible twist, swinging his blade to block.

Clang...

The sound of clashing steel rang out from afar. Madara let out a muffled grunt as he was sent flying backward; though he had blocked the strike, he still took a kick from the Jonin.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" In the midst of being knocked back, Madara performed hand seals rapidly, exhaling a massive fireball to obstruct the Jonin's pursuit.

The exchange between the two sides had concluded in an instant. Shin, watching from below, calculated silently in his heart: "His speed is twice as fast as when we sparred, and his seal-weaving time has been reduced by a third. And this is likely not even his full strength. He wasn't lying; he truly was hiding his power when we sparred."

The clash between Uchiha Madara and the Jonin signaled the start of the conflict. Because their exchange had been so fast, neither side had reacted until now, but they finally snapped out of their stupor, letting out shouts as they charged at one another.

Uchiha Hayate, the only remaining Special Jonin of the Uchiha, engaged one of the enemy's Special Jonin from the start. The two became locked in combat, and amidst the flash of blades and flying ninjutsu, few dared to approach them.

Hyuga Kokuten chuckled. He was now certain there were no Uchiha experts lying in ambush, only these children, and he felt he could slaughter them at will. He was already smugly fantasizing about the rewards the clan would grant him upon the mission's success, wondering if they would let him learn more powerful ninjutsu to help him promote to Jonin.

Just as he was daydreaming, a figure flickered before his eyes. An Uchiha child appeared, looking at him with a faint, arrogant expression.

"Say, why don't we negotiate?" Uchiha Shin said to the Hyuga Kokuten before him.

Is this brat crazy? This was the most honest thought in Hyuga Kokuten's mind at that moment.

"Just commit suicide. That way you won't have to suffer much, and I'll save some time. It's a win-win," Shin said with a completely earnest expression.

"Brat, you're courting death."

Hyuga Kokuten was enraged, feeling mocked by the child before him. He drew his long blade and thrust it toward the boy's chest.

This strike was fueled by his anger, fast as lightning. Hyuga Kokuten felt it was the peak strike of his life; at such close range, even a Jonin would find it difficult to dodge.

Sure enough, the long blade pierced the opponent's chest without resistance. He could even see the look of shock on the boy's face, which felt incredibly satisfying.

Uchiha Shin tucked away his look of shock and gave him a mocking smile. "I lied!"

"What?"

Before Hyuga Kokuten could understand what was happening, Shin's body suddenly surged. "Caw, caw, caw..." A series of crow calls rang out, and Shin's body transformed into a flock of crows that scattered in all directions. The birds landed not far from Hyuga Kokuten and coalesced back into Shin's form.

"What kind of ninjutsu is this?"

Ninjutsu in the Warring States period generally leaned toward direct attacks and straightforward killing. Seeing this technique, which should have appeared a century later, Hyuga Kokuten felt a surge of suspicion and unease.