The Uchiha Clan knew everything about its members, and Root was no exception.
But now, Uchiha Ye had appeared out of nowhere.
A mistake like this could prove fatal.
He signaled to the other Root members to hurry up and surround their target.
Someone this dangerous couldn't be allowed to live!
Otherwise, he would inevitably interfere with Lord Danzo's plans.
"What? Surprised?"
At that, Uchiha Ye grinned. His scorching fist erupted in a terrifying wave of magma that spread straight toward the Flower-Mask Root member in front of him.
The Flower-Mask Root member's eyes narrowed. He leaped back, but a large chunk of flesh was still burned from his arm. He couldn't help groaning in pain.
"Don't get cocky, brat!!"
An angry shout came from behind Uchiha Ye. "Ninja Art: Shuriken Shadow Clone!"
A rain of attacks came too fast to react to, piercing straight through Uchiha Ye's body.
"Heh, brat, now you—"
Seeing this, the Cat-Mask Root member who had launched a surprise attack from behind hadn't even finished laughing before the joy in his eyes suddenly froze.
Uchiha Ye had turned his body into magma again, ignoring the shuriken attack.
"Damn it, he dodged again!"
The Cat-Mask Root member gritted his teeth in frustration. So that move lets him ignore ordinary attacks?
No wonder the shuriken and Fire Release didn't hurt him earlier.
He immediately tried to retreat.
This information was important. He needed to pass it on to the others.
Seeing this, the Fox-Mask Root member not far away immediately covered for him. "Fire Release—"
"Trying to pass on information? Hmph, not a chance!"
With Observation Haki and the Sharingan working together, Uchiha Ye could see everyone's emotions and every subtle movement clearly.
He wasn't about to let the Cat-Mask Root member succeed!
He raised his hand and unleashed a vast mass of scorching magma. "Meteor Fire Rain!" The attack swept toward the two men.
The Fox-Mask Root member had no choice but to retreat, his Hand Seals interrupted.
The Cat-Mask Root member, meanwhile, was practically a sitting target in midair. There was no way he could escape unscathed.
"Ah!!!"
A scream rang out. His right arm had been melted off by the lava, and the blow had caved in his chest, leaving his scorched flesh charred black.
"Dog-Biting Crimson Lotus!!"
"Great Eruption!"
Uchiha Ye pressed his advantage, launching both attacks at once.
The destructive Great Eruption swallowed the Cat-Mask Root member whole.
Dog-Biting Crimson Lotus, which focused on charging in at high speed, went straight for the retreating Fox-Mask Root member.
"Not good!"
The Fox-Mask Root member had only just landed when the attack bore down on him. His pupils shrank in terror. "There's no time!"
"Ah!!!"
The scorching magma hound opened its jaws and swallowed him, then burned him away into nothingness.
"Damn it!!!"
Seeing two more of their comrades fall, the remaining three Root members' gazes turned even more fierce.
"That guy's really only thirteen?"
"Damn it, he's so young, so why is his perception so sharp? He can actually predict our moves!"
The Flower-Mask Root member's high-speed Thunder Blades technique had been so tricky that even the Sharingan could barely follow it, yet Uchiha Ye had seen through it with ease.
Then Uchiha Ye had also predicted where the Fox-Mask Root member would land as he dodged.
That had left him no chance to react to the attack, and he'd died in despair.
And that wasn't all!
Since Uchiha Ye had repeatedly used that strange ability to nullify attacks, his reflexes were clearly exceptional as well.
Most importantly!
He acted decisively and ruthlessly. He'd taken advantage of the opening to kill the Flower-Mask and Fox-Mask Root members, easing the pressure on himself.
Could a thirteen-year-old brat really have such tactical insight?
Even the village's jōnin couldn't be this formidable.
"Brat, you let your guard down!"
Just then, an icy voice came from behind Uchiha Ye.
The Flower-Mask Root member suddenly appeared. "If other attacks don't work, how about Water Release, which counters heat? Let's see you turn into magma and dodge this time!"
His cheeks bulged, and he spat out a powerful, piercing wave of water. "Water Release: Water Severing Wave!"
"Nice!"
The other three Root members couldn't help cheering in delight.
However!
Facing the attack at such close range, Uchiha Ye only smiled mockingly. "Not a bad idea, but... it won't work!"
His body turned to magma, leaving a huge gap that let the Flower-Mask Root member's attack pass through completely.
"What?"
The Flower-Mask Root member's eyes widened. "He can do that too?"
By the time he tried to retreat, it was already too late.
"Hellhound!"
A scorching arm punched clean through his chest. Its searing heat incinerated his organs in an instant.
"Ugh!"
The Flower-Mask Root member spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed, his eyes full of unwillingness.
"How is this possible?"
Seeing this, the three remaining Root members were horrified. "Is his ability to predict our moves really that terrifying?"
The Flower-Mask Root member had launched a surprise attack using Water Release, an element that countered his opponent's, yet Uchiha Ye had still predicted it.
Could they really defeat an enemy like this?
"Now there are just three of you left!"
After catching his breath, Uchiha Ye grinned. "Let's get this over with!"
These three were the weakest, so they'd be the quickest to deal with.
With that, he charged toward them in an instant.
The three immediately retreated, unwilling to face his attack head-on.
At the same time, they hurriedly unleashed their techniques to stop Uchiha Ye from pursuing them.
"Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique!"
"Ninja Art: Senbon Storm!"
"Wind Release: Wind Cutter Technique!"
A barrage of attacks rushed toward him. Uchiha Ye elementalized again, while his own attack locked onto all three of them. "Lava Scorch Shot!"
Boom!
The ground beneath the three men suddenly split open. Three scorching pillars of magma erupted, swallowing them before they could land.
"Ah!!!"
Uchiha Ye hadn't yet developed the magma's temperature to match Sakazuki's 1,600 degrees.
But even 650 degrees was hot enough to incinerate most enemies.
In just a second or two, all three had been completely obliterated.
"Hah..."
"Hah..."
Uchiha Ye was satisfied with how he'd performed. After taking a couple of breaths, he narrowed his eyes and gathered all his strength. "Great Eruption!"
Through Observation Haki, he sensed an Anbu squad rapidly approaching, drawn by the commotion.
Boom!
A gigantic magma fist, larger than any he'd made before, exploded through Konoha's sensory barrier.
"Whoosh!"
Without the slightest hesitation, he dashed out the gate.
The Anbu squad reached the gate barely two seconds after he had left.
Boom!
Just then, a blinding red light suddenly flared in Konoha, and a tremendous commotion rang out across the village.
Uchiha Ye immediately received information from his Shadow Clone.
That commotion had been caused by the clone fighting Uchiha Obito.
What a headache. I've already made an enemy of someone like Uchiha Obito, and I've barely gotten started. The days ahead won't be easy.
Even though Uchiha Obito hadn't obtained the Rinnegan yet, his strength was probably around the level of the Five Kage.
This time, he'd managed to hold his own against Uchiha Obito by relying on his Shadow Clone and the magma-based elementalization of the Magma-Magma Fruit.
But next time, there was no guarantee he'd be so lucky.
He needed to get stronger fast!
Before you continue