Just Kill Your Way Through

"Damn it! That guy is playing for real. It's the middle of the night, and there isn't a single soul out here!"

Walking down the street, Qi had already mentally cursed the mastermind's ancestors for eighteen generations more than eighteen times over.

Although the "foresight of a transmigrator" had long since informed him that the man was a ruthless individual who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals, the feeling of being targeted himself was beyond disgusting.

Of course, what disgusted him most was that he wasn't strong enough yet; otherwise, he would have slaughtered everyone that person sent out tonight. Since they were all rats hiding in the shadows, he wouldn't have to worry about the consequences of killing them.

"Stop being so impatient. If you get yourself into danger, you're just going to be a burden to your master."

A figure quickly caught up to Qi—it was Uchiha Xiu.

"The clan's experts have already rushed out to provide support, so your master will be fine. My father once had dealings with the White Fang of the Leaf, and he said that your master is a true expert whom even the White Fang held in high regard."

"That line would be more effective if you said it to my master, because the thing he's been most obsessed with his whole life is the fact that he lost to the White Fang of the Leaf..."

Qi gave a bitter laugh but slowed his pace. He knew Xiu was right; heaven only knew what the situation in Konoha was like tonight. He wasn't arrogant enough to think he was an expert on the level of Minato, capable of moving freely among a sea of ninjas.

Since the enemy had also targeted Ogata, they would definitely send out Jonin. He might be able to handle a Special Jonin, but if a real Jonin showed up, it would be a death sentence.

"Only someone like your master would care about that. If it were me, just surviving an encounter with the White Fang would be a badge of honor..."

Xiu's face darkened. Qi's words left him feeling conflicted—was this a case of comparing oneself to others only to be driven to despair?

"Above!"

Suddenly, Xiu let out a loud shout. Following the roar, he and Qi both struck out with a palm against each other. With a crisp sound, they used the force of the impact to execute a sharp ninety-degree turn, both leaping to opposite sides.

Whoosh!

Dozens of Kunai and shuriken descended from the sky the moment they separated, all pinning themselves into the ground.

"You're courting death!"

With an angry shout, Xiu flipped in mid-air, his hands scattering a relentless barrage of shuriken toward the figures appearing above.

"Uchiha!"

A muffled grunt echoed out. The figure still in mid-air was struck squarely by Xiu's shuriken, transforming into several wooden logs amidst a puff of smoke and falling to the ground.

"It doesn't matter, take them both out!"

Following this command, several figures burst forth from the ground simultaneously, splitting into two groups to attack Xiu and Qi.

They were dressed in black and wore masks; their identities were already painfully obvious...

"I'll take your grandfather!"

Before they could reach him, Qi clapped his hands together and stomped his foot onto the ground.

"Earth Dragon Emergence! All of you, go to hell!"

BOOM!

With a deafening roar, over a dozen dragon-shaped ice pillars erupted from the earth, slamming into the figures one after another.

Bang!

Under the impact of these iron-hard ice pillars, the human body was incredibly fragile. A shocking spray of crimson blood filled the air as the five or six attackers were sent flying far away by the force of the pillars!

"Damn this bloodline technique! This brat's combat power has already surpassed an elite Chunin!"

One of them spat blood while shouting furiously, "I'm going to kill whoever gave us this intel!"

These were clearly their real bodies; after that impact, every one of them had broken several bones! They were lucky their internal organs hadn't been shattered!

However, before they could retreat, Xiu finished his hand seals. The tacit understanding they had cultivated on the battlefield was enough to ensure their seamless cooperation.

"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Technique!"

Fiery red replaced the crimson. A massive pillar of flame engulfed their bodies before they could even hit the ground, destroying everything they possessed except for their souls...

"Ah!"

Another scream erupted from behind the two. Xiu's master suddenly appeared, piercing the chest of a ninja who had been attempting to ambush them, before flicking his wrist and tossing the corpse to the side of the road.

"From now on, it's danger at every step. Are you sure you still want to go to your master?"

He walked up, expressionless, and looked at Qi.

"What we encountered just now were only Chunin. Soon, it might be Jonin."

"Aren't you going to help me?"

Qi looked at Xiu's master with burning eyes.

"Then just help me fight my way there!"

"Heh..."

Xiu's master laughed.

"You've got guts! Then go do what you want to do. I will follow you."

"Thanks."

Without another word, Qi turned back and continued toward Ogata's residence. As he passed the corpses from just a moment ago, he casually flipped his hand, throwing a string of ice spikes toward an empty patch of ground, pinning yet another ninja who had just crawled out from there directly to the earth...

"Not bad, you're a sensory-type ninja."

Nodding, Xiu's master looked at Kagetsu Qi with a hint of approval in his eyes.

Those with strength always command respect; this is the dignity of a ninja.

And Kagetsu Qi, with a power level rarely seen at his age and his standing as a ninja, had earned the respect of this Uchiha powerhouse.

There was no other reason; such individuals, provided they did not die young, were destined to become true powerhouses. To any faction, they were objects worthy of respect and recruitment...

Of course, the person currently seeking to put Kagetsu Qi and Ogata to death had greater ambitions than merely cultivating his own strength, and thus he had chosen to sacrifice Kagetsu Qi and Ogata.

"A barrier has already been set up here. No matter how much noise we make, no one will notice. Don't think you can attract anyone's attention this way; the only thing you can do is kill your enemies and survive the night."

With a few casual leaps, Xiu's master caught up to Kagetsu Qi and Xiu, offering this indifferent reminder.

"So, try to conserve your chakra. Don't repeat the wasteful actions you just performed."

"I understand. I was just testing it out."

Kagetsu Qi nodded.

He had long since guessed that on the night of the Uchiha Clan Massacre, the higher-ups of Konoha had used a barrier to conceal everything happening within the Uchiha compound.

Still, this thing was truly formidable; he had made such a massive commotion, yet it hadn't drawn a single unrelated person.

Suddenly, just as Kagetsu Qi was about to ask who the Uchiha had sent toward Ogata's location, a blue light flashed before the three of them. Several bolts of lightning, as thick as buckets, descended from the sky, instantly swallowing their bodies...

"Rumble..."

The lightning that had engulfed the three figures slammed directly into the ground, carving out a crater large enough to serve as a toddler's swimming pool...

"This is not a Lightning Release Technique used by Konoha. Who are you people?"

An ice sphere rose from the hole, then shattered into countless fragments that fell back into the pit as three figures leaped out and landed on the ground.

The one speaking was none other than Xiu's master.

"Good evening, everyone. I am terribly sorry to disturb you."

With a swish, a row of ninjas appeared on the scene, their appearances making it blatantly obvious that they were imposters wearing Konoha ninja uniforms.

"Who we are is not important. What matters is..."

A young man stepped out from the crowd, "Kagetsu Qi, please die here. If you do, I will be very grateful to you."

"What a coincidence."

With a cold sneer, Kagetsu Qi drew the short blade from his back, "Because I also really want to slaughter all of you and use you to make a birthday cake for my master, since tomorrow happens to be his birthday."