Sarutobi Shinnosuke Dies, Sees Fugaku

"Captain, it seems something has fallen down," the Anbu operative whispered to Sarutobi Shinnosuke.

"Go check it out, quickly." A vague sense of foreboding stirred in Sarutobi Shinnosuke's heart, and he frowned.

The Anbu ninja nodded and was just about to step forward when, suddenly, a pure white blade pierced through his chest.

The Anbu ninja let out a miserable shriek and died instantly.

"Shimada!" Sarutobi Shinnosuke was shocked. A sudden chill ran down his spine, and he violently pulled away from the Anbu ninja known as Shimada. The remaining two Anbu followed suit, drawing their blades and bracing for battle.

Just then, Sarutobi Shinnosuke felt something trip his foot. He looked down and saw the severed head of his own wife, her eyes bulging and her face frozen in terror—she was dead beyond any doubt.

"Shizuka!!!" Sarutobi Shinnosuke roared, his eyes bloodshot. He glared at the corpse of Shimada, which was still impaled by the blade, and demanded sharply, "You bastard, who exactly are you?"

"Ara, ara. Weren't you just looking for me? Haven't I arrived?" Chiya pulled out his blade and slowly stepped out from the darkness, revealing a smiling mask.

"It's you. Fujiwara Chiya." Sarutobi Shinnosuke was consumed by rage, his killing intent laid bare. As a Konoha jonin who had crawled through piles of corpses for years, he quickly regained his composure and exchanged a glance with the two remaining Anbu ninjas.

The latter two nodded in understanding, their hands moving in a blur of seals. They plunged their blades into the ground, chakra gathering in their throats.

"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Bullet Technique!"

"Wind Style: Gale Slash!"

The Sarutobi Clan was highly skilled in Fire Style, and those capable of serving as Sarutobi Shinnosuke's teammates were the elite among them, no less capable than the vast majority of the Uchiha clan.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke, building upon his proficiency in Fire Style, specialized in Wind Style. He leaped behind the two men, his left hand—free of his blade—forming seals rapidly, spitting a gust of wind pressure that coated his sword.

The Fire Style served as a feint; taking advantage of the opponent's moment of evasion, Sarutobi Shinnosuke would use his Wind Style to deliver the killing blow.

Years of coordination had fostered an unbreakable, seamless synergy between them.

Relying on this tactic, they had cut down countless powerful enemies.

"Too slow."

However, before they could even unleash their techniques, Chiya had already reached the two Anbu ninjas, decapitating them with a single swing. The Fire Dragon Bullet died in its cradle.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke's expression shifted violently. This level of Body Flicker Technique far exceeded his ability to cope.

It made him think of the late Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato.

There was no time for him to dwell on it. Taking advantage of the brief opening while Chiya killed his two teammates, Sarutobi Shinnosuke swung his wind-coated blade, sending a wind blade slashing toward Chiya.

Chiya simply stood where he was, watching the wind blade approach in silence.

Just as Sarutobi Shinnosuke thought Chiya had nowhere to hide, he saw Chiya slowly raise his left hand and extend his index finger.

With a crisp ding, the wind blade was caught by Chiya's bare hand.

"A decent Wind Style. To have cultivated the nature transformation of wind-attribute chakra to this degree, you are already among the best. But unfortunately, it's useless. A ninja's battle is a battle of chakra. Against the wind pressure generated by your meager chakra, I only need to condense fire-attribute chakra in my palm to neutralize it."

Curving his index finger, Chiya gripped the blade and, under Sarutobi Shinnosuke's horrified gaze, slashed down.

Squelch!

In an instant, blood surged wildly.

A gruesome, terrifying wound was carved into Sarutobi Shinnosuke from his right shoulder to his left abdomen.

"How... is this possible?" Amidst a weak gasp, the blade slipped from Sarutobi Shinnosuke's hand, and he collapsed in unwilling defeat.

"Wasted so much time. I hope I'm still in time; I cannot let Uchiha Fugaku's pair of Mangekyo Sharingan slip away."

Thinking this to himself, Chiya flicked the blood from his blade. Ignoring Sarutobi Shinnosuke, he flashed away, disappearing from the spot and rushing toward the home of the "filial son."

After Chiya left, a giant Venus flytrap slowly emerged from the ground. White Zetsu remarked, "This guy is too strong. Catching a wind blade with a single finger? Even Lord Madara before he awakened the Rinnegan wouldn't dare to be this reckless."

"It seems he has mastered some kind of Nintaijutsu similar to the Fourth Raikage's Lightning Armor," Black Zetsu voiced his speculation.

"Then what do we do? Should we follow? It seems Itachi's mission was to kill Chiya. He still doesn't know that Chiya has joined the Akatsuki. If one of them dies, the Akatsuki will lose an important member," White Zetsu said.

Black Zetsu pondered for a moment and said, "Go find Obito. A battle between Mangekyo and Sage Arts is not something we can interfere with."

As the words fell, the giant Venus flytrap slowly merged into the ground and vanished.

On the other side, Chiya had already arrived at the home of the "filial son."

Sensing the chakra of Fugaku and his wife Mikoto inside the room, as well as the "filial son" who was still slaughtering Uchiha clansmen in the distance, Chiya muttered, "Looks like I made it."

As he spoke, Chiya stepped forward, pushed open the door, and walked in. He saw Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Mikoto kneeling on the tatami, waiting for their son's slaughter.

"It's you?" Fugaku was somewhat surprised, as was Mikoto.

Uchiha Fugaku then added, "Did the Third or Danzo send you to kill us? You needn't bother. If possible, I would rather die at the hands of my own son."

"Who said I came to kill you? Didn't you just meet with that traitor Itachi using a Shadow Clone? Have you seen me kill a single Uchiha clansman since I arrived?"

Chiya rolled his eyes, adding internally, At most, I'll just reclaim your bloodline and Sharingan after Itachi kills you.

"Then why did you come?" Uchiha Fugaku couldn't help but ask, realizing that was indeed the case.

"Nothing much. I just want to reclaim your Mangekyo Sharingan after you are killed by your precious son."

"Rather than having your eyes disposed of by that patricidal, matricidal 'filial son,' or falling into the hands of Danzo or others with ulterior motives, it would be better if they were given to me."

"At the very least, because of Izumi, I will not lay a hand on the Uchiha clan."

Chiya was frank, his gaze flickering toward Uchiha Mikoto at the side.

Her fine, jet-black hair often draped over her shoulders, lending her a slightly delicate air. She was dressed in a pale purple, form-fitting dress for mature women; the clean, neat garment perfectly outlined her wonderful, mature curves.

Beneath the dress, a length of snow-white, dazzling legs stirred a fiery impulse within one's heart. A white sash was tied around her slender, willow-like waist, accentuating its delicate grace to the fullest.

She was the very image of a quintessential Yamato Nadeshiko.

For someone born an orphan who had never experienced maternal love, she possessed a lethal, all-encompassing charm.

Chiya could not help but sigh inwardly, What a stunning beauty. It is truly a pity that she is about to die.