The Uchiha Clan's Blind Swordsman

"Judging by your attire, you must be that blind man from the Uchiha clan, right? Yesterday... where did you take Kurenai?"

"You had better explain everything in full detail!"

"I am a teammate of Kurenai's. Yesterday, she sent a message via a Shadow Clone claiming she had a mission to execute."

"But in reality, we had no mission at all."

This was the reason she had come here.

Yugao Uzuki was a ninja who served on the same team as Kurenai Yuhi.

In Chiba's memories, the two of them shouldn't have been in the same graduating class.

However, in this era of war, it was not uncommon for ninjas from different classes to be grouped together.

Some graduated early, while others had their graduation delayed.

Outstanding ninjas who graduated early could very well end up on a team with people from the previous class.

Yugao Uzuki's face was filled with vigilance and hostility, all directed at the blind boy leaning on a cane.

The ninja hound beside the girl also bared its teeth at Chiba, as if it might attack at any moment.

As a teammate, Yugao Uzuki had spent the entire night searching for Kurenai after discovering she had gone missing yesterday evening.

She had even borrowed a ninja hound from the Inuzuka clan to help with the search.

It wasn't until early morning that Yugao Uzuki finally found Kurenai in the Uchiha Forest.

However, at that time, Kurenai Yuhi was walking together with Uchiha Chiba.

This was highly abnormal.

How could Kurenai Yuhi possibly have any connection with the Uchiha clan, let alone that rumored blind man of the Uchiha?

At the same time, she knew that Konoha had not been very safe lately.

During this period, more and more children in the village were disappearing, and with increasing frequency.

Something was definitely surging in the darkness.

She was afraid that Kurenai Yuhi might become one of them.

"Is that so? I think it would be better for you to ask her that in person."

"She has already returned now, hasn't she?"

"Besides, I am merely a student at the Ninja Academy, while she is a Genin who has long since graduated. I shouldn't be able to pose a threat to her."

"You might not, but... Kurenai came out of the Uchiha clan!"

Hearing this, Chiba's eyes narrowed slightly.

That was a statement he couldn't just ignore.

"Recently, many children in the village have disappeared... do you have any connection to that?"

"Put away your boring sense of justice!"

Chiba leaned on his cane and spoke quietly.

"If you really want to squander that pent-up energy of yours, you'd be better off finding a man instead of making wild guesses here!"

The moment she heard this, Yugao Uzuki thought she had misheard.

Better off finding a man?

What vulgar language.

"You Uchiha brat, you had better not make me angry. I only wanted to know the truth about why Kurenai didn't return last night. If you're going to resort to personal attacks, that's a different matter entirely."

"So, is this your justification for bad-mouthing the Uchiha clan?"

"Even the current Hokage wouldn't dare say such things without evidence. Where do you get the courage?"

"Do you know what the charge is for slandering the Uchiha clan? I advise you to think carefully before you speak."

This was not an exaggeration.

Regardless of the relationship between the Uchiha and Konoha.

On the surface, the Uchiha were currently the most prominent clan in Konoha.

They were also the backbone of the resistance during the Third Shinobi World War.

Even Sarutobi Hiruzen wouldn't dare act recklessly at a time like this.

In the original story, any attempts to move against the Uchiha only occurred during times of peace.

Yet, Yugao Uzuki had escalated the matter to the Uchiha clan right from the start.

Chiba didn't know whether to call her clever or foolish.

"I had heard before that the Uchiha have their own honor and pride, and it seems that is indeed the case."

"Making wild guesses was indeed my mistake, and I am willing to apologize."

"However, regarding Kurenai, and the personal attack you just made against me, I cannot simply pretend I didn't hear it."

As she spoke, her gaze fell upon Chiba's cane.

She knew it was a sword.

Yugao Uzuki had heard about the conflict between Chiba and Asuma from Kurenai Yuhi.

"The sword hidden inside your cane... it's not just for show, is it?"

"I advise you not to do this."

Chiba spoke calmly.

As he said this, he glanced toward the spot where the dumplings were placed.

The dumplings hadn't fully cooled yet; there was still time.

"If you were an ordinary ninja, you would at most lose face from a defeat."

"But if we are both swordsmen, that is not necessarily the case. You might lose the ability to hold a sword because of this."

"Although your behavior is foolish, it would be too cruel if you were to be left with psychological trauma because of it."

Unfortunately, Yugao Uzuki did not seem to take Chiba's words to heart.

That made sense; before seeing it with their own eyes, who would ever think twice about a blind man?

"Draw your blade. If I win, you tell me what happened."

"If you win, I'll get lost myself!"

Hearing this, Chiba remained stern.

"Is that so? Then you had better pray that your mental fortitude is high enough!"

"More importantly, I am in a hurry right now!"

"Therefore, I won't really know how to show mercy to a lady!"

A gentle breeze brushed past their sleeves.

The air was filled with the fresh scent of morning dew.

Before drawing her blade, the purple-haired girl shooed away the ninja hound by her side.

It was a hound she had borrowed from the Inuzuka Clan.

Now that the culprit had been found, Yugao Uzuki naturally let it return.

What she had to do next was defeat the Uchiha boy before her.

What kind of mindset would lead her to draw a blade against a five-year-old blind boy? Yugao Uzuki herself wasn't entirely sure.

Perhaps it was because she wanted to find the truth behind Kurenai Yuhi's disappearance yesterday, wanting to protect her companion and ensure she wasn't harmed.

Or perhaps, ever since she heard from Kurenai Yuhi how Chiba had easily crushed Asuma at the Dumpling Shop with his superior swordsmanship, the urge to cross blades with Chiba had welled up within her.

What the reason was, Yugao Uzuki couldn't say; she was a complex person herself.

However, she knew that she had to face the person before her with all her might.

Not just for Kurenai Yuhi, but for herself as well.

Because she, too, was a swordswoman.

Having inherited Konoha-Style Swordsmanship, she trained diligently every day, and her primary goal was to push her swordsmanship to the next level.

Challenging one's limits was the best way to break through a bottleneck.

She never considered herself a genius; she was simply the most hardworking one.

Back when she was still at the Ninja Academy, she had met someone she could consider a rival.

A swordsman named Hayate Gekko.

Like her, he was also an inheritor of Konoha-Style Swordsmanship.

Yugao Uzuki held great respect for his strength.

Countless bouts between the two had allowed their swordsmanship to improve continuously.

However, when Hayate Gekko began to reveal subtle feelings toward her, Yugao Uzuki stopped practicing with him.

It wasn't that she disliked him, but at this stage, constantly breaking through and surpassing herself was Yugao Uzuki's primary goal.

And this time, her opponent was Uchiha Chiba.

The man who had inherited the swordsmanship of Marine Admiral Fujitora Issho.

The fighting spirit radiating from Yugao Uzuki made Chiba realize the ambition buried deep within her heart.

Only a swordsman could truly understand another swordsman.

"So that's how it is. You... are the type of person with such ambitions?"

Chiba spoke calmly.

He stood firm before Yugao Uzuki, leaning on his crutches.

Unmoving as a mountain.

"I don't simply believe that asking for the truth about Kurenai Yuhi is just an excuse."

"It's just that your ambition doesn't lie."

The moment she heard these words, Yugao Uzuki's pupils constricted sharply.

Was asking for the truth about Kurenai Yuhi just an excuse?

Yugao Uzuki could not bring herself to admit it.

However, just as Chiba had said, deep within her heart, she harbored a near-maniacal desire to cross blades with an opponent who was also a swordsman.

In this era of raging war, who wasn't a little mad?

As long as one could become stronger, what did it matter if they were a little crazy?

Thinking of this, Yugao Uzuki smiled.

"As expected, swordsmen... can truly understand one another!"

"You're wrong."

Chiba corrected her calmly.

"Swordsmen can indeed understand one another, but... that is built upon the foundation of being equals!"

"You have simply been seen through by me!"