Mist Ninja Attack

On the way to the Land of Tea, the members of Team Minato had been escorting the merchant caravan for three days.

The caravan leader had initially been dissatisfied upon seeing that the escort consisted of only a few people.

However, once Namikaze Minato's name was revealed, he demonstrated his talent for changing his tune on the spot.

Uchiha Obito felt quite envious of all this.

He and Yuzhen were on the other side, conducting a security patrol.

With an envious tone, Obito sighed with deep emotion to Uchiha Yuzhen:

"Teacher Minato's reputation has already begun to spread throughout the Ninja World."

"When will my name, Uchiha Obito, finally ring out across the Ninja World~"

"Once I become famous..." As he said this, Obito glanced ahead at Rin, who was forming a defensive formation with Kakashi.

Seeing Obito's current state, Uchiha Yuzhen felt both annoyed and amused.

Obito-bro was truly the Ninja World's number one "love-struck fool."

His life goals really couldn't take a single step away from Rin Nohara.

Shaking his head, he retorted to Obito, sounding rather impatient:

"Stop thinking so much and just focus on the task at hand."

"Yeah, yeah~" Obito responded listlessly upon hearing this.

Yuzhen ignored him and continued to scan the surroundings.

He was actually looking forward to an enemy attack; with Namikaze Minato here, to put it bluntly, it was like being carried by a big shot.

This mission was in the bag!

As for him, the core of this mission was to verify exactly what level he was at in a real life-or-death struggle!

The Affix [Natural Energy Affinity (Blue)] he had recently obtained from Jiraiya was slowly beginning to take effect.

Regarding his affinity for natural energy, he currently lacked the training method for Sage Mode and hadn't noticed any changes in himself.

However, the slight increase in his chakra reserves truly gave him a pleasant surprise!

Chakra was different from other energy systems.

It wasn't like internal energy, spiritual power, or mana—energy systems that could be accumulated through daily practice.

Chakra was rooted in one's physique and bloodline!

Thinking that one could continuously increase their chakra reserves just by persistently extracting it every day?

Impossible!

So-called chakra extraction was simply extracting it for immediate use.

You could only extract as much as your physical limit allowed.

Physique and bloodline were what truly mattered!

As a member of the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Yuzhen began to see his deep-seated bloodline potential unleashed once the Affix started to defy his fate.

Don't actually believe that the Uchiha have small chakra reserves!

It all depends on who you're comparing them to, right?

Compared to the Senju or the Uzumaki, they were indeed inferior.

But compared to everyone else in the Ninja World, the Uchiha were legitimate descendants of the Six Paths.

Did you really think their chakra reserves would be small?!

Over this period, his chakra reserves had been growing rapidly.

Not long ago, his chakra levels were already no less than Kakashi's.

And now—this so-called "slight increase" had caused his chakra reserves to surge significantly!

At the very least, he was now at one and a half times Kakashi's level and climbing.

As his chakra increased, his physique grew in tandem.

The growth in chakra reserves left Uchiha Yuzhen at this moment...

He truly needed a life-or-death battle to verify exactly what level he stood at among the jonin.

In the years following the end of the Second Ninja World War, the tensions between the ninja villages had not eased; driven by economic pressures, the major villages resorted to every possible means of open and covert struggle for the sake of client missions.

Because the Land of Water was just across the sea from the Land of Fire, Konoha and Kirigakure frequently clashed during missions along the coastline.

When Team Minato was escorting a merchant caravan and preparing to enter the Land of Tea, Biwa Juzo—the pride of Kirigakure and one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen—stood on a beach as the lead jonin hired to raid the caravan, having already obtained some intelligence.

"The opposing lead jonin is Namikaze Minato, a rising star in the ninja world who has recently begun to earn the moniker 'Yellow Flash.' Lord Juzo... shouldn't we be a bit more cautious?"

Their raiding party was neither large nor small, consisting of about a dozen people. This remark came from a beautiful girl with brown hair.

Regarding his subordinate's advice, Biwa Juzo was noncommittal: "A ninja who has only just started to make a name for himself—judging by this so-called 'Flash' title, that guy must be a speed-type ninja. As it happens, speed-type ninjas rely heavily on their vision, and our 'Hidden Mist Technique' is the perfect counter to such opponents. There is no need to worry too much... Mei!"

Terumi Mei thought about it and realized he was right. The enemy had fewer people than they did, they had their own famous ninja in Lord Juzo, and the Hidden Mist Technique was perfectly suited to cause trouble for a speed-type ninja. With superior numbers, a famous ninja to match the enemy's, and a tactical advantage, victory was certain!

Ao, standing to the side as a strategist and sensory-type ninja, heard the conversation between the two but could find no flaws in their logic. Still, he asked with a hint of uncertainty, "But the intelligence mentioned that the squad seems to have two Uchiha. The department doesn't have more detailed information... but we must guard against the Sharingan!"

After hearing Ao's warning, Biwa Juzo rubbed his chin. After a moment of contemplation, he said solemnly, "That is true. The Hidden Mist Technique can obscure the Sharingan, but they aren't fools; if a mist they can't see through suddenly appears, anyone would know something is wrong. In that case, the essence of the Hidden Mist Technique would be lost."

He thought for a moment longer, then lowered his eyes. "Everyone, it seems we must first find a way to deal with those two Uchiha. Whoever has the confidence, step forward. I won't force anyone... after all, this mission carries risks!"

Among those present, only Terumi Mei parted her lips slightly to speak: "Leave it to me. I guarantee he will die happily... in my 'Hot Kiss'!"

Namikaze Minato walked in the lead, noticing that the mist was permeating the forest ahead. Furthermore, the water stains on both sides of the path were... excessively abundant.

With his wealth of experience, he immediately sensed that something was wrong. However, just as he prepared to signal his students, he decided to test them to see if they would remain united when faced with real danger. After all, this was not an exam; it was a genuine life-or-death struggle.

This was the best time to see a person's true colors. Especially... he wanted to see the performance and choices of Uchiha Yuzhen. He didn't need to see if he possessed the 'Will of Fire,' only whether he had the heart to protect his companions.

With that thought in mind, he suppressed his impulses.

However, Minato's plan had clearly miscalculated.

This was the first time Uchiha Yuzhen had faced such a situation since awakening his Past Life Wisdom.

He felt as though the previous experiences of his original self were merely scenes from a movie.

A sense of unease washed over him as he noticed the water stains along the sides of the road and the mist gathering ahead.

He cast a glance at Kakashi.

He immediately recalled the circumstances of Team Kakashi's mission in the Land of Waves.

Driven by his unease, he instantly channeled chakra into his eye sockets.

His scarlet Three-Tomoe Sharingan spun into motion.

Good grief!

Within the grass along the road ahead, those concealed water stains actually held intense chakra signatures!

And what's more... that mist ahead was actually obstructing his Sharingan's vision?

Uchiha Yuzhen immediately issued a warning:

"Everyone, be careful! There are ambushes at ten o'clock and two o'clock!"

"Also... my Sharingan cannot see through the thick fog in that forest; it is definitely the Hidden Mist Technique!"

"It's an enemy attack!"

Swish—!

No sooner had Yuzhen finished speaking than six Mist Ninja leaped out from the sides.

A slender girl with brown hair said to her subordinates, "Go help Ao and finish off those three brats!"

"As for this Uchiha who saw through our movements..."

"I'll be the one to get intimate with him!"