Ambush (Part 2)

With the sudden appearance of Uchiha Hikari, the previously one-sided situation instantly became complex.

His arrival not only made it significantly harder for the attackers to succeed, but it also made them realize that the Uchiha brat being protected must possess an extraordinary and significant identity.

The leader's eyes flashed with a ruthless glint, and he decisively shouted, "No matter the cost, all of you hold him back! I will capture that Uchiha brat myself!"

Before the words had even faded, five or six of his subordinates exchanged knowing glances and charged toward Uchiha Hikari.

Witnessing this, Uchiha Hikari's pupils constricted sharply; he clearly had not expected the opposition to be so resolute. He drew his blade to meet the enemy and looked back, saying, "Young Master Qile, find an opening and go!"

However, the leader, despite claiming he would capture Qile, actually made no move to do so.

Instead, he kept his eyes fixed on Uchiha Hikari, who was already being pinned down by his subordinates, his gaze flickering with malicious intent as he searched for an opening.

In truth, he knew the situation like the back of his hand. He was well aware that with the strength of his subordinates, it was impossible to hold back a formidable enemy like Uchiha Hikari for long.

Moreover, those few seemingly unremarkable brats were clearly not so easy to deal with either.

Therefore, he found it difficult to ensure he could successfully capture Qile and escape before his subordinates were completely crushed by Uchiha Hikari.

In the very next instant, the leader's eyes narrowed as if he had spotted his prey, locking onto a fleeting, perfect opportunity.

No sooner said than done, he launched a sinister sneak attack without hesitation. The speed was so astonishing that Uchiha Hikari was caught off guard and failed to dodge the sudden strike in time.

The sharp samurai sword in his hand instantly pierced Uchiha Hikari's left hand, and blood sprayed out immediately.

Yet, after suffering such a severe injury, Uchiha Hikari did not retreat in the slightest. Instead, the Sharingan in his eye sockets spun rapidly, and his originally delicate features transformed into an expression of pure ferocity.

He swung his long blade hard with his right hand, whipping up a fierce gust of wind that forced the surrounding enemies back several steps.

Immediately following this, he flashed forward, charging straight toward the leader while roaring, "Young Master Qile! Take this chance and go!"

With Uchiha Hikari providing such fearless cover, Qile knew clearly that if he and F5 turned and fled down the mountain now, their chances of a successful escape would increase significantly.

However, for some reason, his feet felt as if they were nailed to the ground; no matter what, he could not take that first step toward flight.

Members of the Uchiha clan never flee from battle! Just as the thought of running crossed Qile's mind, he immediately strangled it in the cradle.

If he ran this time, what about the next?

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

In an instant, a roaring fireball erupted from Qile's mouth, flying straight toward the enemies ahead with intense, scorching heat.

At the same time, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo, standing to the side, showed no signs of backing down. The two exchanged a look, their tacit understanding unspoken.

Both men quickly formed hand seals, "Wind Style: Breakthrough!"

A powerful gust of wind roared from their mouths, crashing into the already massive fireball like a surging, torrential flood.

With the wind fueling the fire, the fireball, which had not been particularly large, instantly grew even more massive, resembling a burning sun that illuminated the entire battlefield.

If Qile and the others had maintained a defensive stance, the enemy would likely have found it difficult to find an opening.

But now, as Qile and his group took the initiative to attack, flaws inevitably appeared.

The leader spotted the timing and took a sharp step back, shouting, "Tie him down!" He then flashed forward, lunging straight at Qile and the others.

With a single strike, he cleaved through the fireball produced by the three of them, his momentum not even pausing for a second.

Just as he was about to grab Qile, something unexpected happened—Qile vanished into thin air from his original position in the blink of an eye.

At the same time, a lit explosive tag drifted down like a falling leaf, catching the man's eye.

"Body Flicker Technique? An explosive tag?" The man was startled, but fortunately, he reacted quickly. Without a moment's hesitation or pause, he performed the same Body Flicker Technique to pursue Qile.

Qile continuously utilized the Body Flicker Technique, his figure flickering erratically to draw the man's attention.

Meanwhile, F5 and the others were not idle; they seized the opportunity to launch various harassment tactics, preventing the man from successfully capturing the slippery Qile several times in a row.

Just then, he glanced away at the battle nearby and realized that Uchiha Hikari was on the verge of finishing off his subordinates.

His eyes narrowed sharply. Not wanting to reveal his ninjutsu, he chose not to continue the brute-force assault and let out a roar: "This ends here!" Before the words were finished, his hands moved in a blur of hand seals, fluid and seamless.

In an instant, the previously calm ground began to shake violently.

Following this, several razor-sharp rock spears erupted from the ground with lightning speed, stabbing straight toward Qile, who had just completed a rapid displacement using the Body Flicker Technique and was preparing to land.

"Earth Style: Earth Rising Spears!"

Because the rock spears were so sudden, Qile had no time to take any effective countermeasures. With a few muffled "squelch" sounds, the sharp spears easily pierced through his legs, sending blood splattering everywhere.

Seeing Qile in such dire straits, Uchiha Hikari, who was locked in intense combat with other enemies, was frantic with worry. Ignoring the searing pain from the blood-gushing wound on his left hand, he began to form hand seals at high speed.

He let out a loud shout: "Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique!" A massive, roaring dragon of fire, baring its fangs and claws, erupted from his mouth and lunged aggressively toward the lead enemy.

Yet, facing such a fierce attack, the man did not change his expression or skip a beat. He, too, began to form hand seals rapidly.

In the blink of an eye, he slammed his palms onto the ground, "Earth Style: Earth Wall!"

Following his action, a thick, sturdy wall of earth rose from the ground, acting as an impassable barrier that forcibly blocked the mighty dragon of fire.

Uchiha Hikari, having failed his strike, felt anxious, but before he could react further, the man seized the opportunity, leaped into the air, and lunged rapidly toward the injured and immobile Qile.

Watching the attacker draw closer, Qile felt the chakra in his body nearly exhausted.

He did not show the slightest intention of retreating. A look of determination flashed in his eyes as he bit his lip and quickly formed hand seals once more.

"Snake-Ram-Monkey-Boar-Horse-Tiger!" Qile's eyes widened as he shouted, "Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

In an instant, a massive, scorching fireball erupted from his mouth, hurtling straight toward the incoming attacker.

Unfortunately, despite the fireball's terrifying power, its trajectory was far too predictable, making it easy for an agile opponent to dodge.

The figure merely flickered, effortlessly sidestepping the blast as he continued to close in on Qile...

The next moment, just as his right hand was about to seize Qile...

"Susanoo!"

"Thunder God Slash!"

"Deep Forest Emergence!"

These three voices rang out almost simultaneously, one right after the other.