Triple Trap

Yakushi Nonō was a genius spy who excelled at concealing her inner thoughts, making her the most difficult woman to win over.

Regardless, if he were to force a pursuit now, it would surely arouse her suspicion. He would wait until he reached the Ninja Academy tomorrow to find a way to approach her.

Uchiha Kurohane was only nine years old; he likely wouldn't be participating in the Second Shinobi World War.

The Third Shinobi World War would occur in seven years and was expected to last for two, at which point the situation would escalate to the point of sending child Genin to the battlefield.

Uchiha Kurohane's current situation was relatively safe, and he still had time to develop slowly.

His only concern was the group of ninja he had injured earlier while helping Kushina.

They might seek out their friends or clansmen to exact revenge.

Although Uchiha Kurohane possessed the powerful Kekkei Genkai of the Yatagarasu Substitute and had mastered potent Fire Release, he could not afford to let his guard down.

He decided to stop wandering around for now and head home.

Uchiha Kurohane walked quickly toward his home.

In the shadows, Pumpkin Head watched Uchiha Kurohane and Yakushi Nonō part ways, his mouth splitting into a grin of ecstatic joy.

"A perfect opportunity! There's no one else around now; we can make our move!"

Pumpkin Head believed he had found his chance for revenge; he would pay him back in kind and stab Uchiha Kurohane in the kidney as well.

Aburame Ryoma watched the direction in which Yakushi Nonō had departed, his mouth twisting into a wicked smile.

"Wait, that brat seems to like that girl. We'll target her first. Once we capture her, that brat won't be able to resist."

Pumpkin Head felt uneasy about this suggestion.

"Isn't it bad to drag others into this? Brother Ryoma, aren't you confident you can defeat him alone?"

Aburame Ryoma sneered as he explained to Pumpkin Head.

"I remember this girl. She's an orphan with no friends; there won't be any consequences for attacking her."

"While I could defeat Uchiha Kurohane on my own, that wouldn't be satisfying enough. Making him watch his precious girl get captured while he stands there helpless—that is how you strike a blow to his spirit."

"A blow to the spirit? Brother, you truly are brilliant. I never thought of that approach. I'm completely impressed! Yes, this is the only way to make that wicked brat pay the price!"

Pumpkin Head imagined the expression on Uchiha Kurohane's face as he knelt and begged for mercy, and he couldn't help but want to laugh out loud.

Hahaha—

With the hostage secured in advance, it wouldn't matter how strong Uchiha Kurohane was.

Pumpkin Head couldn't imagine how they could possibly lose this time!

Yakushi Nonō walked to the next street, her heart still racing.

For one, she was self-contained and appeared unsociable.

For another, the male ninja of Konoha were all trained in emotional suppression and had no interest in women.

She had never been approached by a boy before.

Being spoken to by a boy for the first time made her feel a joy she had never experienced.

This was the very emotion that she, in her loneliness, craved.

Furthermore, the fact that he also wanted to become a medical ninja meant they shared the same dream.

Yakushi Nonō actually wanted to have further contact with him.

She kept reflecting in her heart, wondering if she had made the wrong choice.

Just then, a cold wind blew from behind her.

Yakushi Nonō sensed something was wrong and was just about to turn around.

Two arms reached out from behind; one locked around her throat, and the other covered her mouth.

"Don't move. I'm Pumpkin Head, and I'd like to ask you for a favor..."

Yakushi Nonō realized she was being kidnapped and immediately recalled Danzo's words about the darkness of the world, causing her to panic.

She ignored Pumpkin Head's words and struggled with all her might.

Because one of Pumpkin Head's kidneys was injured, his constitution and strength were greatly reduced, and even though he was older than Yakushi Nonō, he couldn't hold her down.

"Damn it, can't you listen to people? I'll have to knock you out!"

A flash of brutality crossed Pumpkin Head's eyes as he prepared to strike.

At that moment, a crow flew in from behind. With a poof, the crow suddenly transformed into Uchiha Kurohane.

Uchiha Kurohane opened his scarlet Sharingan, swung a large Fuma Shuriken, and thrust it forcefully into Pumpkin Head's lower back.

Being the gentle soul he was, he didn't attack Pumpkin Head's existing wound, but rather the other side.

Crack!

The upside was that it wouldn't interfere with the recovery of Pumpkin Head's original wound; the downside was that Pumpkin Head no longer had his other kidney either.

"Aaaah—!"

Pumpkin Head let out a shrill, miserable scream.

Yakushi Nonō immediately broke free from Pumpkin Head's restraint and, in her panic, struck his chin with a backward elbow.

After falling to the ground, Pumpkin Head clutched his waist, thrashing wildly like a fish out of water.

Yakushi Nonō stepped back, looking between Uchiha Kurohane and the man on the ground, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

Pumpkin Head looked up, and upon seeing Uchiha Kurohane, he broke into an excited grin.

"You idiot, you actually delivered yourself to me! You're dead this time!"

Uchiha Kurohane looked down at him, replying with indifference.

"Don't get excited just yet. Your second kidney is finished, too. Your life is about to get a lot more difficult."

Pumpkin Head froze at these words, feeling a familiar, intense pain as he realized his other kidney had also been pierced.

His eyes bloodshot with rage, his entire face turned crimson.

"Damn you, you actually dared to do it! I'm going to kill you!"

Just then, Yakushi Nonō saw a figure instantly appear behind Uchiha Kurohane and cried out in a trembling voice.

"Watch out!"

It turned out that Aburame Ryoma had used Pumpkin Head to attack Yakushi Nonō as bait, luring Uchiha Kurohane into making a move.

He intended to strike from behind.

Taking advantage of the moment Uchiha Kurohane thought he had won and let his guard down, Aburame Ryoma used the Body Flicker Technique to appear behind him, kunai in hand, aiming for his throat.

As a Konoha Genin, his strikes were far more ruthless than Uchiha Kurohane's.

Piercing a kidney was child's play to him; he intended to slit Uchiha Kurohane's throat directly, cutting off his breath.

That would seal the victory in a single blow.

"Idiot, I knew you had discovered me. My Kikaichū have been following you the whole time, so I knew you used the Shadow Clone Technique to pretend to go home while your real body secretly followed Pumpkin Head!"

"This is a trap!"

Uchiha Kurohane did not turn around, nor did he make any move, simply replying in a flat tone.

"Same here. This is a trap, too!"

As it turned out, Uchiha Kurohane's crows had also been monitoring Aburame Ryoma, allowing him to see through the double trap.

Slash!

Aburame Ryoma's kunai sliced into Uchiha Kurohane's throat.

However, at the very instant the blade grazed his neck, Uchiha Kurohane swapped positions with a crow that had flown behind Aburame Ryoma.

He appeared behind Aburame Ryoma and, without a moment's hesitation, drove a large Fuma Shuriken into his waist.

Slash!

Aburame Ryoma's waist was pierced, and his kidney was ruined, yet his body showed no reaction at all.

He stood motionless, letting out an eerie laugh.

"Hahaha~ Just as I heard, you use the Substitution Technique to lure the enemy and then strike from behind. But that trick is useless against me."

"I'll show you the true power of the Aburame clan!"

No sooner had Aburame Ryoma finished speaking than his body dissolved into a swarm of black insects.

They were the Kikaichū he raised!

It was an Insect Clone!

The Kikaichū swarmed rapidly toward Uchiha Kurohane.

It turned out this was a triple trap!