Confronting Biwa Juzo

After several days of bumpy sailing at sea, Uchiha Shisui finally saw the familiar coastline of the Land of Fire within reach, and a glimmer of hope surged in his heart.

However, when he inadvertently looked back, his expression instantly turned solemn.

Behind the merchant ship, not far away, followed many small boats, densely packed with figures. These were basically fully armed ninjas, exuding a dangerous aura.

Uchiha Shisui tightened his robes, trying not to attract the attention of those opposite, while keenly observing the movements of the boats.

As he observed, he quickly organized the current intelligence in his mind, his eyes flashing with a calm light: "Seven boats in total, led by the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, three people per boat."

He calculated inwardly, the enemy's numbers were not small, and with troublesome opponents like the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, the situation was not optimistic.

He clenched his fists, but there was no trace of fear in his heart.

The Land of Fire was right before his eyes. As long as he could set foot on that land, he would have a chance to escape these pursuers.

With this thought, he took a deep breath and began to ponder countermeasures, his gaze fixed resolutely on the distant coastline.

Where the Kirigakure ninjas were.

"Hmph! After searching so many merchant ships, only the one in front hasn't been searched yet. Speed up and catch up now! That kid is definitely inside."

Suikazan Fuguki's voice carried an undeniable fierceness. He waved his hand forward forcefully, as if he could already see the scene of capturing Uchiha Shisui.

The ninjas on the small boats immediately accelerated, like a pack of wolves that had caught the scent of prey, pouncing towards the merchant ship.

Just as the boats were about to approach the merchant ship, a ninja suddenly shouted, "Sir! Someone from the ship has run into the forest by the shore!"

Upon hearing this, Suikazan Fuguki's face instantly sank, and a fierce glint flashed in his eyes.

He quickly turned his head to look at the forest by the shore. The trees there were dense and lush, an excellent hiding place.

"Damn it! Still as cunning as before! Chase him! We absolutely cannot let that kid escape!"

Suikazan Fuguki roared, jumped off the boat first, and sprinted towards the forest.

The other ninjas followed closely, their weapons in hand, their eyes filled with vigilance and killing intent, disappearing like ghosts at the edge of the forest.

Uchiha Shisui knew that the pursuers were close behind. His figure was like a black lightning bolt, leaping rapidly between the branches.

Each landing made almost no sound, only the slight rustling of leaves proved he had been there.

As he used the Body Flicker Technique, he took out the prepared wire and explosive tags from his ninja pouch.

These items in his hands seemed like precision weapons.

He quickly wrapped the wire around thick branches, then cleverly fixed the explosive tags at key positions on the wire, completing a simple yet highly lethal trap.

His movements were skilled, his gaze focused, not missing any detail.

In the intervals between setting traps, he did not forget to look back at the pursuers' movements, ensuring his actions were not discovered.

As more and more traps were laid, his confidence gradually grew.

These traps were the simple defensive lines he had set up. Although they could not completely repel the enemy, they were enough to delay the pursuing ninjas and buy himself more time to retreat.

A cold smile appeared on Uchiha Shisui's face, his eyes flashing with a complex light, containing both resentment for being chased in the past and the exhilaration of impending counterattack.

"My significant improvement in Kirigakure Village is thanks to your endless pursuit. This time, I've prepared a big gift for you!"

His voice was low and firm, echoing in the silent forest.

As soon as he finished speaking, he mobilized the Storm Release chakra within his body. That special energy surged out like an invisible undercurrent, rapidly spreading over a large area around him.

His hands formed seals rapidly, his movements skilled and fluid.

"Storm Release: Scattered Lightning Storm!"

As he let out a low cry, a faint, almost imperceptible current seemed to permeate the air, emitting a subtle "sizzling" sound.

"These chakra threads in molecular form are undetectable without special dojutsu, and when someone touches them, their power can rival three explosive tags."

He mused inwardly, a hint of confidence in his eyes.

These molecular chakra threads were like deadly traps hidden in the dark, waiting for those foolish enough to pursue.

After setting all this up, Uchiha Shisui did not stop. His figure flashed, like a black afterimage, heading towards the outpost set up by Konoha.

That was where he would hide from the pursuers. As long as he reached the outpost, it meant he had entered Konoha Village's jurisdiction. If ninjas from an enemy country entered, it would be considered an act of war, thus allowing him to escape the pursuit of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of Kirigakure.

And those pursuers were about to taste the "big gift" he had meticulously prepared.

Uchiha Shisui was fully focused on using the Body Flicker Technique, preparing to retreat quickly.

The moment his body moved, a sharp killing intent descended from above like a crushing mountain.

His heart suddenly tightened, and he instinctively looked up. He saw Biwa Juzo carrying the gleaming Kubikiribōchō, like a black lightning bolt, viciously slashing down vertically from above.

"Brat, die!" Biwa Juzo's malicious roar echoed in the air. A ferocious smile spread across his face, his sharp teeth like a shark's, glinting coldly in the dim light.

The Kubikiribōchō, accompanied by a whistling wind and a force of a thousand jun, headed straight for Uchiha Shisui's head.

Uchiha Shisui's pupils contracted sharply, and his heart lurched. He had no time to think, and his body instinctively dodged to the side.

At this critical moment, his reaction speed reached its peak. Just barely, the sharp blade grazed the hem of his clothes, stirring up a fierce gust of wind.

He felt the airflow generated by the blade sting his cheek, and he secretly rejoiced at his quick reaction, otherwise, he would have been beheaded by now.

Uchiha Shisui's reaction was lightning-fast in the moment of life and death.

In an instant, his originally dark pupils were replaced by the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

The activation of the Sharingan made his senses sharper, and everything around him seemed to slow down.

Almost simultaneously with the activation of the Sharingan, his hand shot out behind him like lightning, quickly drawing the notched ninjutsu sword.

The blade unsheathed with a sharp, cold glint, emitting a crisp ringing sound.

At this moment, Biwa Juzo was retreating after his full-power attack missed, his center of gravity not yet fully stable.

Uchiha Shisui seized this fleeting opportunity, stomping his foot down and lunging forward like a black gust of wind.

The notched ninjutsu sword in his hand was raised high, whistling through the air as he slashed fiercely at Biwa Juzo.

The sharp blade wind seemed to tear the very air apart.

Just as the ninjutsu sword was about to embed itself in Biwa Juzo's body, a sense of triumphant satisfaction surged through him.

However, the expected blood did not appear. Instead, Biwa Juzo's body suddenly became like an illusory image, twisting and transforming into a pool of water that slowly flowed across the ground.

Uchiha Shisui's pupils contracted sharply, a look of surprise on his face as he subconsciously exclaimed, "Water Clone?"

He quickly retreated a few steps, widening the distance between himself and the pool of water. His scarlet eyes scanned his surroundings sharply, wary of Biwa Juzo's true body launching an attack from the shadows. He gripped the notched ninjutsu sword tightly, ready to face whatever came next.