Ambush Elite Ninja, Ultimate Move Up Close

"Are you two the only ones left from the Konoha reconnaissance unit?"

Gari's gaze swept across the outpost, his tone laced with undisguised contempt. "Where is that guy Orochimaru? Don't tell me he abandoned you and ran off?"

Uchiha Jun did not answer.

His eyes were locked onto the few Iwagakure ninja before him, his mind rapidly retrieving intelligence regarding Explosion Release.

Explosion Release, a Kekkei Genkai.

It could detonate anything it came into physical contact with.

If Gari's fist landed, even a mere graze would result in being caught in the blast.

Close-quarters combat was suicide!

"Jun, fall back."

Yamazaki Kengo let out a low shout, drew his blade, and charged forward.

Uchiha Jun was just about to follow when he sensed another chakra signature approaching rapidly—it was another Jonin!

He decisively slammed on the brakes and formed hand seals.

"Water Style: Water Formation Wall!"

A thick curtain of water rose from the ground, perfectly blocking the Rock Fist Jutsu that had struck from the side.

"Oh? Water Style?"

The Iwagakure Jonin stepped out from the shadows, an expression of surprise on his face. "A Konoha Uchiha using Water Style? Interesting."

Uchiha Jun did not reply; he feigned a nervous look, stumbled backward in a panic, and knocked over a table.

His movements appeared frantic, but in reality, every step was calculated—the position he now occupied was the narrowest passage in the outpost, restricted by walls on both sides, forcing the Iwagakure ninja to attack him only from the front.

Furthermore, the panic of a Genin facing a Jonin was perfectly consistent with his current identity.

The Iwagakure Jonin fell for it, grinning as he stepped forward, preparing to finish off this "terrified" brat in one blow.

Meanwhile, Yamazaki Kengo had already engaged Gari.

Both of their speeds had reached their limits; blade light and fist shadows intertwined, each collision accompanied by the screech of metal and scorching shockwaves.

Yamazaki Kengo's strength was not weak for a Special Jonin, but with injuries to his left arm and right leg, his footwork was clearly not as agile as it had been in his prime.

Gari, however, fought with increasing ferocity, his fists like two heavy hammers, each strike landing with the roar of an explosion.

"What's wrong, Konoha Jonin? Is that all you've got?"

Gari laughed wildly, slamming a fist into the blade of Yamazaki Kengo's sword.

The force of the explosion sent Yamazaki Kengo stumbling back several steps, another bloody gash appearing on the arm holding his blade.

Uchiha Jun was not faring much better.

Although the Iwagakure Jonin was not a famous figure, a Jonin was still a Jonin; his taijutsu, ninjutsu, and combat experience far exceeded that of an average Chunin.

The force behind his strikes was astonishingly heavy, leaving Uchiha Jun's arms numb with every impact.

"Brat, your Water Style isn't bad, but that's as far as it goes!"

The Iwagakure Jonin snorted coldly and formed hand seals.

"Earth Style: Rock Fist Jutsu!"

His right arm was instantly encased in rock, transforming into a massive stone fist that smashed down toward Uchiha Jun.

Uchiha Jun's pupils constricted; it was too late to dodge at this distance.

Secret Scroll: Chakra!

In an instant, a warm current surged through Uchiha Jun's body, and the chakra he had already half-depleted was instantly replenished by the power of the scroll!

Simultaneously, Uchiha Jun formed a summoning seal.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Bang!

A cloud of smoke exploded in front of the Iwagakure Jonin, and a golden Shiba Inu darted out from the smoke—it was Mofang!

"Woof!"

The moment Mofang appeared, his entire body lunged forward, transforming into a golden blur as he slammed into the Iwagakure Jonin's face!

The Iwagakure Jonin never expected that this Konoha brat, who had been pushed back step by step, would still have the energy to summon a creature.

The Rock Fist had already been thrown and could not be retracted; caught off guard, he could only instinctively tilt his head to avoid Mofang's impact.

Now!

Uchiha Jun seized the moment the Iwagakure Jonin was distracted, his figure advancing instead of retreating, brushing past the very edge of the rock fist.

The fist smashed into the wall behind him, blasting a massive hole; gravel sprayed everywhere, and the shockwave tore several gashes into the back of his tactical vest.

Taking this opportunity, Uchiha Jun pressed his palms together, and the chakra within his body erupted!

"Multiple Explosive Tags Jutsu!"

In an instant, countless explosive tags flew from Uchiha Jun's ninja tool pouch and sleeves, fluttering like snow-white butterflies to plaster the Iwagakure jonin from head to toe.

Those explosive tags flickered with a blinding red light, emitting a heart-palpitating chakra fluctuation.

The Iwagakure jonin's pupils dilated sharply, the contempt on his face finally twisting into terror: "Are you insane?! At this range, you'll be caught in the—"

"Detonate!"

Uchiha Jun let out a sharp roar, his internal chakra surging into a turbulent wave around his body to act as a buffer, and every explosive tag detonated simultaneously!

"BOOM—!!!"

A deafening explosion rocked the outpost, the flames instantly swallowing the narrow corridor.

The scorching shockwave blasted away half of the surrounding walls, sending rubble and dust soaring into the air as the entire outpost shook violently from the blast.

Yamazaki Kengo, who was locked in combat with Gari, was startled by the sudden explosion; catching a glimpse of the fire rising from the corridor out of the corner of his eye, his heart sank: "Jun!!"

Gari seized the opportunity to force Yamazaki Kengo back with a punch, grinning as he said: "Looks like that brat is finished. Now it's your turn—"

Before he could finish, a figure suddenly darted out from the smoke.

Uchiha Jun, clutching Mofang whose fur had been scorched black by the blast, flew backward out of the thick smoke, slamming heavily into the ground and rolling several times before coming to a stop.

His combat uniform was shredded, a bloody gash ran down his arm, and his face was covered in soot.

The Mofang in his arms had turned into a puff of smoke the moment it was thrown out of the blast radius, vanishing on the spot.

"Damn it... that hurt like hell."

Uchiha Jun spat out a mouthful of blood, his voice as raspy as if he had just swallowed a mouthful of sand.

In the instant he triggered the explosion, he had used Mofang as a meat shield in front of him.

Although a summoned beast wouldn't die, the sensation of pain was very real.

Before Mofang vanished, it had glared at him fiercely; that look translated to—Jun, you really went for it, didn't you!

Mofang had absorbed most of the impact from the front, and the vitality of the Senju Bloodline had helped Uchiha Jun endure the remaining shockwave of the explosion.

Though he looked wretched on the outside, his internal organs and bones had suffered no serious injuries.

The Iwagakure jonin, however, was not so lucky.

As the smoke cleared, the Iwagakure jonin's figure reappeared in view.

The ninja was charred black, his combat uniform blown to rags, one arm hanging unnaturally, and his body covered in burns and lacerations from the explosive tags.

The Rock Fist Jutsu on his right arm had been shattered by the explosion, and his protective rock armor peeled away like a crushed eggshell.

But he was still standing!

Damn it, taking a point-blank ultimate move and not dying.

This is just unfair.

"Cough, cough... cough..."

The Iwagakure jonin coughed up thick black smoke, his right eye crusted shut with blood, while his left eye burned with monstrous rage.

"You bastard... how dare you ambush me?!"

He was a dignified jonin, yet he had been blown to this state by a Konoha genin using explosive tags at point-blank range!

If this got out, he would lose all face in Iwagakure.

Uchiha Jun leaned against the trunk of a large tree, gasping for air.

Hearing this, Uchiha Jun grinned.

"If you're trash, practice more. If you can't handle losing, don't play!"

"To be ambushed by a genin—is that giant tumor on your shoulders just there to make you taller? Hahahaha!"

Veins bulged on the Iwagakure jonin's face as he raised his hand to deliver a lethal strike.

However, at that very moment, a cold, chilling wind suddenly swept across the battlefield.