Return to the Village

The carriage sped down the road back to Konoha.

Night had already fallen, and the stars glittered overhead.

The forest seemed even more secluded and mysterious at night.

Inside Ryōken's carriage, Tetsuki was carefully tending to him.

As she looked at Ryōken's still youthful and handsome face, Tetsuki stared blankly, lost in thought.

How could she lure Konoha's genius to the Land of Iron?

The Land of Iron had a frigid climate, buried beneath heavy snow all year round. Its resources were scarce; it could not compare to a great nation like the Land of Fire at all.

Resting her chin in her hand, Tetsuki sat dazed for a moment. Then she suddenly raised a small hand to stroke her smooth cheek and glanced over her graceful figure. A faint blush unexpectedly flashed across her cold face.

At that moment, she was breathtakingly beautiful, enough to topple nations!

Unfortunately, the only other person in the carriage was still meditating, leaving no one to admire her.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted outside the carriage.

Tetsuki snapped out of her daze, let out a long sigh, poked her head out, and asked, "What happened?"

"Miss, the Konoha genin says he has some antidote potions. They might be able to ease the poison's effects."

So said the servant driving the carriage.

"Oh, then let him come in."

After thinking it over briefly, Tetsuki agreed without giving it much thought.

Before long, Kouichi Uchiha entered with an aloof expression. He gave Tetsuki a slight nod, then walked straight toward Ryōken, carrying a green vial that looked quite convincing.

With his back to Tetsuki, one sinister Sharingan slowly spun in Kouichi Uchiha's eye. His blood-red gaze was especially terrifying.

A strange smile curled at his lips. Savagery and madness flickered in his crimson eyes as he reached Ryōken's side.

He suddenly pulled out a pitch-black kunai from his ninja tool pouch, its blade glinting with cold light.

"What are you doing?!"

Seeing this, how could Tetsuki not understand? She cried out sharply and lunged forward, drawing the sword at her waist.

Her sword flashed like a rainbow, but she was too late.

To let Kouichi Uchiha treat Ryōken, she had deliberately stepped back some distance. Now, that distance proved fatal.

Otherwise, with the strength of a samurai comparable to a Chunin, she might have had some chance of intercepting Kouichi Uchiha's attack.

She could only watch as the kunai drew closer and closer, about to plunge into Ryōken's heart.

A trace of sorrow appeared in Tetsuki's eyes. Two days was not enough for her to fall for Ryōken, but she had already regarded him as the hope for the rise of samurai. She had never expected to witness that hope's destruction the very next moment.

Her tranquil state of mind churned violently, and intense unwillingness surged through her heart.

A gleam of impending triumph flashed through Kouichi Uchiha's eyes. Having witnessed Ryōken's formidable strength today, he knew full well that with Ryōken's rate of growth, he would almost certainly never have another chance for revenge.

Uchiha clansmen who awakened the Sharingan were especially prone to becoming extreme.

So, with evil rising in his heart, Kouichi Uchiha decided to seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and kill Ryōken while he was severely poisoned and completely defenseless.

Yet the somewhat crazed Kouichi Uchiha never considered that without Ryōken, they would all have died facing the Rain Ninja jonin earlier that day.

Or perhaps he had always been a petty villain who repaid kindness with hatred, and the Sharingan's negative emotions had merely brought out his darkest side completely.

Just as Kouichi Uchiha's face twisted viciously and he was about to stab Ryōken—

Provoked by that intense killing intent, Ryōken abruptly opened his eyes. His black-and-white pupils looked vacant.

This sudden development made Kouichi Uchiha pause, panic rising in his heart. With Ryōken's strength, once he woke up, killing him would be as easy as slaughtering a chicken.

But when he saw that Ryōken's eyes seemed utterly lifeless, he immediately steadied himself. Gritting his teeth, he continued thrusting toward Ryōken.

Suddenly, a glimmer of light flashed through Ryōken's vacant pupils, brilliant and sharp as a sword.

A razor-sharp Sword Intent, seemingly tangible, erupted violently and shot straight into Kouichi Uchiha's eyes.

The Sword Intent seemed to target his very soul, piercing into his consciousness.

Kouichi Uchiha clutched his head in both hands and groaned in agony, his entire body trembling uncontrollably.

Clang!

The kunai fell to the floor.

He staggered back several steps.

Sword Intent Protection!

Tetsuki was deeply shaken.

However, she had finally reached him. Chakra condensed upon her sword, and with a burst of fury, she swung it fiercely.

At this moment, Tetsuki could not afford to think too much. Uchiha ninjas were usually extremely powerful. Though she did not know what Kouichi Uchiha had suffered, as if he had sustained immense mental damage, this opportunity was rare. If he recovered, she did not believe she could defeat him.

Therefore, Tetsuki hesitated only slightly before directly slashing at Kouichi Uchiha's neck.

A flash of sword light streaked past.

One slash sealed his throat.

Bright red blood continuously dripped from the tip of her sword.

Naturally, the blood belonged to Kouichi Uchiha.

Kouichi Uchiha remained standing motionlessly.

His blood-red eyes were wide open, and as though in a final flash before death, they revealed a trace of unwillingness. He was unwilling to die without killing Ryōken.

Only then did blood seep from his throat, and his body fell straight backward.

At that moment, the speeding carriage came to a stop. Everyone had heard Tetsuki's cry and quickly gathered around.

Nai Inuzuka looked around but did not see Kouichi Uchiha, and a trace of confusion appeared in her eyes. Still, it was none of her business. Kouichi Uchiha always wore a sour face, relying on his status as an Uchiha clansman. No one liked him.

Perhaps he had simply gone off for a walk.

After all, Ryōken's overwhelming strength had probably dealt him quite a blow. Nai Inuzuka thought this with a hint of schadenfreude.

"Ah! How did Kouichi Uchiha die?"

When Nawaki Senju saw Kouichi Uchiha being carried out of the carriage, he shouted in shock, anger rising within him.

Though Kouichi Uchiha was not a good person, Nawaki Senju was kind-hearted and aspired to become Hokage. He still regarded Kouichi Uchiha as a companion, so seeing his corpse so suddenly naturally enraged him.

Standing atop the carriage, Tetsuki cast a cold look at Kouichi Uchiha's corpse. Her clear, chilly voice, laced with anger, rang throughout the area.

"This Uchiha brat tried to assassinate Ryōken. I have already executed him."

Having said that, she showed no intention of explaining further to Nawaki and the others, and returned to the carriage.

"How could that be..."

Hearing this, Nawaki Senju cried out in disbelief.

But he was merely a little naive, not stupid. After thinking it over, he understood the course of events.

Pure and kind as he was, he had never expected Kouichi Uchiha to do something as cruel as murdering a companion.

Ryōken was a Konoha ninja!

His eyes trembled violently as he stood there in a daze, completely shaken.

Nai Inuzuka helplessly shook her head, stepped forward to discuss matters with those preparing to deal with the body, then took out a scroll and sealed Kouichi Uchiha's corpse inside.

This was not something she could handle.

They were returning to the village anyway. They could report it to Lord Hokage then.

Seeing this happen, Qing Zang immediately took delight in their misfortune. He knew the Uchiha Clan's domineering and fiercely protective nature. Ryōken would definitely run into trouble afterward.

And the more miserable Ryōken was, the happier Qing Zang would be.

Ah, let the recommendation votes come even more fiercely!