The first rays of morning sunlight filtered through the treetops and fell across Uchiha Iori's face. He jolted awake, drenched in sweat and breathing hard.
His body trembled slightly on the bed, as if he had just escaped from a fierce battle.
"What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?" Gekko Nobuhiko's voice sounded beside him, tinged with concern.
Iori turned his head and saw Teacher Nobuhiko standing by the bed, his eyes full of concern.
"Nothing, Teacher Nobuhiko. I'm just going to take care of something nearby." Iori forced a smile, trying to make his voice sound casual.
Without thinking, he clenched his hand, nearly calling out, "traceon."
But he quickly realized where he was and decided to test it out in the woods instead.
He got up, left the tent, crossed the camp, and entered a dense forest.
Sunlight filtered through gaps in the leaves, dappling his body and calming his unsettled heart.
"traceon (Projection, begin)," Iori whispered, his voice tinged with anticipation and nervousness.
Chakra flowed through the circuits in his body, surged from his hand, and took shape according to his will.
In an instant, a kunai appeared in his hand, as if conjured from thin air.
So it really is Projection Magecraft—and a highly developed version like Red Archer's, at that.
Iori's heart raced. Last night's experience hadn't been a dream. His Golden Finger had really unlocked.
Although, like early Emiya Shirou, he currently had to focus and use a fixed phrase to prompt himself before he could activate it, and projections consumed a great deal of energy.
But he knew that once he mastered the use of his Reality Marble, Unlimited Blade Works, he could overcome these shortcomings.
In this brutal world, he had finally found some peace of mind.
As long as he survived the early stages, he could at least put up a fight against anyone other than Kaguya-hime and Otsutsuki Hagoromo.
For now, I need to learn the Noble Phantasms Emiya Shirou excels at, get the hang of activating and deactivating Unlimited Blade Works, and secure my ticket to Kage Level strength.
Iori silently planned his path. The door to becoming powerful had opened before him.
Then I'll visit the Hall of Heroes and see if I can get my hands on some other Noble Phantasms. The upper limit of Projection Magecraft depends on how many Noble Phantasms I can see.
Iori's thoughts ran wild, and the more he thought, the more excited he became.
He could already picture himself wielding holy swords and spears, punching Madara Uchiha and kicking Senju Hashirama.
Suddenly, Gekko Nobuhiko's warning cut through his thoughts. "We're under attack!"
Several figures were rapidly approaching in the distance. They were ninja from Iwagakure.
His teammates, Uzuki Kaori and Kurama Takumi, quickly gathered. Their gazes were wary as they assessed the enemy's numbers and positions.
"Why are you Iwagakure Ninja invading the Land of Grass? Are you planning to tear up the peace treaty?"
Gekko Nobuhiko shouted the question as his hands swiftly formed signals behind his back, telling Iori, Kaori, and Takumi to watch their surroundings and prepare for a possible fight.
"Heh. You Konoha ninja occupy the richest, most fertile land, so of course you want to maintain the status quo."
The leading Iwagakure Ninja sneered, his voice full of scorn and disdain as he took up an attack stance.
He was in his thirties, with black hair, a muscular build, and a vicious scar across his face. Judging by his clothes and tone, he was probably an Iwagakure Jonin.
As soon as he finished speaking, the three Iwagakure Anbu Chunin accompanying him closed in as well. Their movements were swift and orderly, and the atmosphere grew tense in an instant.
"Iwagakure's ambitions are clear for all to see," Gekko Nobuhiko said, his brow furrowed and a trace of worry in his eyes.
"Iori, Kaori, Takumi, get ready to retreat and take the intel back. I'll buy you time."
The enemy Jonin's undisguised provocation showed that they were ready to start a war, or confident they could easily deal with his squad—or both.
Although Gekko Nobuhiko was also a Jonin, his chances were slim against such powerful enemies while accompanied by three students.
A grim determination welled up inside him. He silently vowed that even if he died in battle, he would give his students a chance to survive.
"Teacher, they won't just let us leave. Let's fight our way out together!" Iori said firmly.
The Iwagakure Ninja gave Gekko's squad no chance to catch their breath. The battle began at once.
"Brat, you're arrogant! If you don't want to run, then you can all stay! Earth Style: Earth Rock Dragon!"
The Iwagakure Jonin roared. A gigantic dragon made of earth and sand burst from underground, lunging straight at Gekko Nobuhiko with enough force to destroy everything in its path.
"I'll handle this Konoha Jonin. You take care of those brats!" the Iwagakure Jonin ordered coldly.
Gekko Nobuhiko's expression turned grave. He knew his opponent was no pushover and that he had to give the fight his full attention.
He moved quickly, dodging the Earth Rock Dragon's ferocious attacks. At the same time, he was anxious; he couldn't spare any attention to look after his other students.
"Yes!" the Iwagakure Chunin answered in unison, then charged at Iori and the others like leopards.
"Kaori, Takumi, protect yourselves. I'll come help as soon as I've dealt with my opponent!"
Excited red light glimmered in Iori's eyes. Last night's boost had multiplied his strength. Not only had he awakened the Two-Tomoe Sharingan, but he had also learned Projection Magecraft and Emiya Shirou's combat techniques.
Still, Iori couldn't help worrying. Uzuki Kaori and Kurama Takumi were only ordinary Chunin, and they seemed outmatched by elite ninja from a major nation.
Whether Iori could reach them in time to help was weighing on his mind.
Uzuki Kaori looked worried and gently reminded him, "Iori, be careful too. Ninja from a major nation are nothing like the rogue ninja we've faced before."
A determined glint flashed in Iori's eyes. "Don't worry. Unless they're a veteran Jonin, I have no reason to lose. You two take care of yourselves too. Make sure you survive."
He slowly activated his Two-Tomoe Sharingan, his gaze brimming with confidence and resolve.
"traceon."
He murmured the phrase. Black and white swords appeared out of thin air, and chakra quickly flowed into them.
He hurled them with all his strength. The swords traced beautiful arcs, crossing like wings as they flew toward the enemy's head.
"Let me try out my new move. The wings of the crane shall never fall; my heart is firm as stone."
The Iwagakure Ninja swiftly formed Hand Seals. "Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
A wall of earth rose from the ground like a shield and knocked the swords aside.
Dust flew up, obscuring their vision, but neither side stopped fighting.
"My skills stand as firm as Mount Tai; my strength pierces mountains."
Iori charged forward, projected the swords again, and slashed at his opponent.
The Iwagakure Ninja nimbly dodged to the side, drew a kunai, and thrust it at Iori's right hand.
"My skills cross the Yellow River; my sword's intent cuts through the current."
The swords he had thrown earlier flew back. The Iwagakure Ninja avoided Mòye, but Gān Jiāng struck his left leg and wounded him.
The blow disrupted the Iwagakure Ninja's stance, leaving an opening.
With the help of his Sharingan, Iori seized the chance and decapitated him with a single slash.
He turned and rushed toward Kurama Takumi's opponent.
"My life has reached the Palace of Separation; only my name shall be left behind in the heavens."
He threw the swords again, interrupting another Iwagakure Anbu's attack. Kurama Takumi seized the opening.
"Genjutsu: Hell Viewing Technique!"
Whatever the Iwagakure Anbu saw, his whole body stiffened.
Takumi took the opportunity to throw a kunai and kill him.
"Together, we are the wings of the crane; two heroes, both destined to depart."
Iori spun and leaped. The swords transformed into enormous, wing-shaped blades, and he swooped down from above toward Uzuki Kaori's opponent.
After the Iwagakure Anbu facing Kaori knocked her back, he turned and formed Hand Seals.
"Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!"
Another wall of earth rose, but this time the swords' power was far greater than when he had thrown them the first time.
Iori swept both swords through the air, cutting the wall and the man behind it in two.
Blood sprayed, staining his body red. Iori dropped to one knee, supporting himself with Gān Jiāng.
Gasping for breath, he felt as though his stamina and chakra had been completely drained.
No good. I'm exhausted, and that took way too much chakra. Next time, I need to prepare my weapons in advance. Projecting them over and over is more than anyone can bear.
In less than ten minutes, Iori had led his teammates in quickly taking down three Iwagakure Anbu Chunin, scoring two kills and one assist.
However, his chakra and stamina were nearly depleted, and he had little fighting strength left.
Iori hurriedly ate a Military Ration Pill, struggling to get it into his mouth as he tried to recover some chakra.
The pill slowly dissolved in his mouth. It tasted awful, but the sense of security he got from regaining his strength made him forget about that.
"Iori, are you all right? How did you suddenly get so strong?"
Uzuki Kaori hurried over and helped the weakened Uchiha Iori to his feet, her eyes full of concern.
"Your eyes are already at Two Tomoe. And the swords in your hands earlier—what were they? Did you summon them with the Summoning Technique?"
Kurama Takumi asked curiously, wonder and amazement shining in his eyes.
Overnight, Uchiha Iori seemed to have been reborn, as if he'd become someone else. Takumi couldn't help feeling curious and stunned.
Faced with his teammates' questions, Iori quickly tried to think of a suitable explanation. But his thoughts were a mess, so for now he could only change the subject.
"The fight isn't over yet. Let's see how Teacher's doing first."
There was a note of urgency in his voice. He knew they couldn't stay here for long. They had to check on Gekko Nobuhiko as soon as possible and decide what to do next.
Although he had confidence in his teacher, he was still worried about his safety.
After all, most ninja were glass cannons. One mistake could be fatal.
Even Pakura of Scorch Release, who could compete for the title of Fourth Kazekage, could be killed by a kunai. So what couldn't happen?
"Right. We need to check on Teacher. The Iwagakure Ninja might send more reinforcements, so we need to leave as soon as possible," Kurama Takumi replied, his voice tense and urgent.
The three were about to set off when Gekko Nobuhiko came running over from the distance. His appearance eased their worries.
"Let's go. We're retreating together," he ordered tersely, his tone urgent.
Gekko Nobuhiko was surprised at how efficiently Iori and the others had taken down their enemies, but he had no time to show it. He quickly called for them to retreat with him.
"That Iwagakure Ninja was very strong. I caught an opening and wounded one of his legs, but I was also hit by an Earth Rising Spear. I'm injured, and I couldn't win quickly."
Gekko Nobuhiko spoke as he ran.
"I was worried about you, and I'm worried Iwagakure might have more reinforcements. We'll withdraw to the border outpost first and take the intel back."
He looked battered. His left arm hung limp, and blood dripped down it, staining the ground. As he ran, he occasionally spat out mouthfuls of blood.
"Teacher, why don't we find somewhere along the way to bandage your wound? You're in bad shape," Uchiha Iori asked worriedly.
"Let's get back to the outpost first. Since the Iwagakure Ninja have invaded in force, there must be more than one patrol squad. If another squad blocks our way, we'll have little chance of making it out alive."
Gekko Nobuhiko shook his head. The outpost was just ahead. He led the team through the dense woods, racing toward safety.
"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!" ×4
Suddenly, the ground shook. Four Iwagakure Ninja burst out from underground, and four earth dragons surged up from the ground, spitting mud bullets from their mouths.
Iori and the others were forced to stop and dodge the sudden attack.
Gekko Nobuhiko's expression darkened. "Damn it. Subterranean Voyage Technique. They must have gotten the message and surrounded us from nearby."
There weren't many ninja stationed at the border outpost to begin with, and it was already too late to notify the village and request reinforcements.
Faced with the situation, Gekko Nobuhiko felt more pressure than ever before.
"Teacher, I'll clear a path! You go on ahead!"
Iori gritted his teeth and began squeezing out every last drop of chakra.
With his current strength, he couldn't fully activate Unlimited Blade Works.
But he could manage a localized opening to unleash a volley of swords.
Iori focused his mind and steeled himself. A third tomoe slowly emerged in his eye, and his Sharingan glowed an ominous red.
"I am the bone of my sword."
Iori stepped in front of the others and stretched out his hand.
Powerful chakra surged from his body, saturating the space around him as he prepared to call his world into reality.
"Die! Earth Release: Rock Iron Cannon Technique!"
The Iwagakure Ninja all formed Hand Seals. Countless rocks shot from their mouths, growing larger as they flew toward Iori.
Several Iwagakure Ninja unleashed the technique together, blotting out half the sky and creating a storm of stones.
"That's far enough! I won't let my comrades die before my eyes!"
As the words rang out, several oddly shaped kunai flew over, each one shaped like a trident.
Cloth was wrapped around their handles, with the words "Sword of Loving Ninja" written on it.