A Moment of Unmatched Power, a Way to Break the Deadlock

Sanhe and Miyuki stared at everything unfolding before them, dumbfounded.

Even with their Sharingan activated, they couldn't keep track of Ryosuke's movements.

He had become a streak of blue lightning. Every time he stopped, another Cloud Ninja fell.

[ Ding! Congratulations, Host, on killing an enemy. Randomly plundering one of their ninjutsu.]

[ Congratulations, Host, you have obtained the ninjutsu Lightning Style: Lightning Blade.]

[ Ding! Congratulations, Host, on killing an enemy. Randomly plundering...]

[ Ding! Congratulations, Host, on killing...]

[ Ding...]

The system notifications rang out one after another, but Ryosuke had no time to pay them any attention.

His stamina and chakra were rapidly running out, and he could only grit his teeth and keep going.

At last, after killing his sixth enemy, he lost his footing and fell straight from the air.

Fortunately, the last Cloud Ninja was so terrified that he ran off before noticing Ryosuke's predicament.

Sanhe and Miyuki were startled.

They rushed over at once and helped Ryosuke up.

"Hey, are you all right? You'd better not die, or I'd feel guilty for the rest of my life. And, thank you for what you did back there," Sanhe said, his expression complicated.

"Sanhe, now's not the time for that. We should check Ryosuke's injuries first," Miyuki said anxiously.

Unfortunately, neither of them knew any Medical Ninjutsu, so all they could do was stare helplessly at the unconscious Ryosuke.

Ryosuke's cheeks were sunken, and his skin had lost its color. He looked like an old man on the verge of death.

"Is Ryosuke going to die? What should we do now? I should've learned some Medical Ninjutsu."

Miyuki pounded the ground in anguish.

"Stop saying that. He'll be fine. He looks more like he's starving to me. That move must've taken a lot out of him. Try feeding him a Military Ration Pill."

Sanhe spoke with unusual calm.

"Right. Why didn't I think of that?"

Miyuki took a deep breath, pulled out a Military Ration Pill, and grabbed a handful, ready to stuff them into Ryosuke's mouth.

"Hey, are you trying to kill him? Military Ration Pills have serious side effects." Sanhe hurriedly stopped her.

"I forgot, I forgot. Damn it, this is all my fault. Ryosuke wouldn't be like this if I hadn't asked him to help." Miyuki looked racked with guilt.

Then she put one Military Ration Pill into Ryosuke's mouth.

"He can't swallow it like that. He needs some water. Do you have any?" Sanhe continued.

"Yes."

Miyuki took out some water, but no matter what she tried, she couldn't get Ryosuke to drink.

"Why don't you try using your mouth?" Sanhe glanced at Miyuki.

Miyuki slapped him so hard he went flying.

"Hey, why'd you hit me? I was only trying to save him. If you're not willing, I'll do it."

Sanhe returned, holding his cheek.

Miyuki's expression shifted several times, but in the end she stopped Sanhe.

"I'll do it."

She summoned all her courage, took a mouthful of water, and bent down to give it to Ryosuke.

"Cough, cough."

Before Miyuki could reach him, Ryosuke coughed. He jerked his head up and smashed it into Miyuki's forehead, knocking her down onto the ground. The water in his mouth went down his throat.

"What are you doing? Where's the enemy?"

Ryosuke felt as if a mountain were pressing down on him. Even speaking was a struggle.

It was a side effect of losing too much stamina and chakra, not an injury or illness, so High-Speed Regeneration couldn't help.

"Ryosuke, you woke up at the worst possible time. You were about to enjoy yourself."

"Enjoy what?" Ryosuke asked, bewildered.

"You—"

Sanhe was about to speak when Miyuki launched a kick and sent him flying.

"Don't listen to him. There was only one enemy left, but he got away. Ryosuke, are you all right now?"

Miyuki asked seriously, as though nothing had happened.

"I've lost too much stamina and chakra, but this place is dangerous. Let's leave a signal for Teacher Shisui, then get out of here as quickly as we can."

Ryosuke remembered the purple shadow and immediately spoke to the other two.

Seeing his serious expression, Sanhe and Miyuki nodded at once. They first carved the Uchiha Clan's distinctive mark into a tree, then helped Ryosuke out of the woods.

Night fell.

The three of them huddled around a fire in a cave they had just dug out.

"The enemy lost so many people this time. They shouldn't come looking for trouble again, should they?" Sanhe asked, keeping watch at the cave entrance as he looked back at the others.

"Hard to say. They're Cloud Ninjas. They're so greedy for the Sharingan that they'd do anything to get it." Ryosuke had eaten ten lunch boxes and five Military Ration Pills, but he still felt a little weak.

Looks like I'll have to train harder from now on. Otherwise, the Eight Inner Gates will have been for nothing.

At that moment, a shadow appeared at the entrance to their cave.

"Who's there?"

Sanhe immediately stood up and drew his Kunai.

"It's me."

Shisui Uchiha appeared at the cave entrance.

His face was drawn and his eyes weary. He was nothing like his usual relaxed self.

"Teacher Shisui? What happened to you?" Sanhe immediately helped Shisui into the cave.

"Nothing. I just used up a lot of chakra. I'm glad you're all safe."

Shisui leaned against the wall. After glancing at the three of them, he gave them his familiar smile.

"Teacher Shisui, we ran into the Cloud Ninja's Anbu. Ryosuke saved us," Miyuki told him.

"So it really was as I thought. The village has betrayed us."

Shisui closed his eyes in pain.

On the way here, he had still clung to the hope that the Third Hokage had been forced into it, that everything had been for the village.

And if it really meant sacrificing only himself, he wouldn't have had a single complaint.

But after hearing Miyuki's words, Shisui understood at once.

Kumogakure wanted not only his eyes, but the three children's lives as well.

Silence fell over the cave, broken only by the crackling fire.

After a long while, Sanhe suddenly spoke. "Teacher Shisui, what do we do now? Can we still return to the village?"

Shisui opened his eyes and looked at the moonlight outside the cave.

"Of course we can. But first, we have to complete the mission Lord Hokage gave us. We'll bring this war to an end ourselves."

Shisui Uchiha's expression was utterly resolute.

"Yeah!"

Sanhe and Miyuki nodded together. Their trust in Shisui was unquestionable.

Only Ryosuke lowered his head, deep in thought.

Could they really bring the war to an end themselves?

Would they stand a chance if they ran into the Fourth Raikage?