The Fierce Battle Begins

Seeing that familiar long brown hair, that beautiful and delicate face, and that graceful, slender figure, Uchiha Yuzhen knew at once that he had run into an acquaintance: Terumi Mei.

But, could someone tell him why these people were able to bypass Namikaze Minato ahead so easily?

Was it a test?

It absolutely had to be!

Yuzhen felt powerless to even complain; this was truly a tradition passed down through the generations. Kakashi tested Naruto and Sasuke, and it seemed they had learned it all from Minato.

"Little brother... how dare you let your mind wander while fighting me?"

Terumi Mei leaped into the air, and seeing Yuzhen lost in thought, she sneered and quickly formed hand seals.

Xu-Hai-Yin-Chou-Zi-You!

"Then let my 'Hot Kiss' wake you up!"

As she spoke, she puffed out her cheeks.

[Lava Release: Melting Apparition Technique]

A stream of highly corrosive, viscous liquid erupted from her mouth. The solution transformed into a terrifying torrent, surging toward Yuzhen! This Kekkei Genkai, a combination of Water and Earth chakra, was capable of dissolving anything. Even the Susanoo of Madara and Sasuke had been melted by it.

Uchiha Yuzhen dared not be careless. Tiny sparks began to ignite on his body, followed by the appearance of ethereal flames.

Sizzle—!

Yuzhen dodged the Lava Release technique with incredible speed. His Ninja Blade left its sheath, glowing with a scorching light.

[Uchiha Style: Four-Direction Slash]

The cold glint, imbued with Great Fire, thrust forward like an arrow.

"What is this?!" Terumi Mei's eyes widened, feeling utterly incredulous at the thrust that was already inches from her face. How could he be this fast?!

However, as one of the top geniuses of Kirigakure, she was no pushover. Even without a foothold in mid-air, she forced her waist to twist, narrowly evading the lethal strike. Her hands didn't stop moving, quickly forming more seals. She realized that if she didn't act fast, victory would be out of the question—staying alive would be a luxury.

[Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique]

A powerful, acidic vapor capable of dissolving all things was sprayed from her mouth. The acid mist spread rapidly, as if intending to envelop Yuzhen entirely.

"Tch! Troublesome woman!" Seeing this, Yuzhen abandoned his Four-Direction Slash and the subsequent three-part combo. That Boil Release was another powerful Kekkei Genkai capable of dissolving Susanoo, and being in gaseous form, it was impossible not to guard against.

However, he wouldn't let her off easily. The Uchiha Style Nintaijutsu was a magnificent technique that combined the Body Flicker Technique, Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, Clone Technique, and swordsmanship into one. He had already used everything except the Clone Technique, so where was it?

The answer was right beneath Terumi Mei!

Swish, swish!

A swift Shadow Clone of Yuzhen lunged toward her.

"Since the Boil Release makes you untouchable, the purpose of a clone becomes quite clear."

Yuzhen's Shadow Clone raised its Ninja Blade and slashed at Terumi Mei. To his surprise, the blade, glowing with fire, dissolved the moment it touched the mist of the Boil Release. Yuzhen's clone frowned and threw itself into a desperate, sacrificial tackle!

"Damn it! You can even do that?!" Terumi Mei guarded her vital points, unwilling to yield.

With a loud "bang," he was sent flying into the distance.

An unexpected situation occurred for Uchiha Yuzhen the moment his Shadow Clone collided with Terumi Mei.

The light of an Affix manifested, flashing with purple and cyan hues.

Without a second thought, Yuzhen focused his mind: "System, extract the deepest purple Affix!"

[Scorch Release (Purple)]: A ninjutsu consisting of Earth Style and Water Style chakra, capable of manipulating a highly corrosive, viscous liquid.

Scorch Release? Not bad at all!

It offered both strong control and immense destructive power.

That destructive power had been displayed to its fullest extent during the Fourth Ninja World War in the original story.

However, I don't possess the nature transformations for Earth and Water...

I hope the Affix installed by the system allows for direct usage.

These thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant.

Facing Terumi Mei's defeat within just a few exchanges, the Mist Ninja side found it hard to accept.

Ao, who was still locked in combat with the white-haired boy before him, caught sight of the scene from the corner of his eye and was struck with horror.

"This is impossible! Mei is a possessor of two Kekkei Genkai, a genius in every sense of the word!"

"To send Terumi Mei flying in just a few rounds... that Uchiha is no ordinary opponent!"

Beside him, Obito's pupils constricted. If others didn't know, how could he not?

That was their Uchiha Style Nintaijutsu, a technique that only the elite of the elite could use with such ease.

"Why does it feel like the gap between me and Yuzhen is only growing wider?" Obito bit his lip, looking at his opponent with unwillingness. "Damn it! If I can't even get past you, when will my dream of becoming Hokage ever be realized!"

In an instant, having steeled his resolve, Obito increased his chakra output, engaging his enemy in an even more intense clash.

As for Kakashi, he had already gauged Yuzhen's strength during the assessment that day; having awakened the Sharingan, Yuzhen's power had grown to be on par with his own.

Therefore, he found Yuzhen's victory to be a matter of course.

He calmly offered a mocking smile to the Ao before him: "I don't know where you lot got the nerve to let someone face a Three Tomoe Sharingan alone."

"Indeed... one-on-one, you run; two-on-one, you fight; three-on-one, you can hold your ground..." Ao's expression turned grim. "Damn it! We all forgot this iron rule!"

Having realized this, he immediately issued an order to his subordinates:

"You three, keep the brats occupied! I'm going to rescue Lady Mei!"

"Yes, Lord Ao!"

Several ninjas immediately stepped in to take over the fight against Kakashi.

Seeing this, Ao darted toward Terumi Mei's silhouette.

As for Biwa Juzo and the others lying in ambush ahead, they did not underestimate Terumi Mei in the slightest—she was a Jonin at such a young age and a possessor of two Kekkei Genkai.

After all, the current Mist Village was the Village of the Bloody Mist!

Every ninja who graduated had crawled their way out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood!

That was even more true for a genius with such a renowned reputation.

Biwa Juzo spoke in a low, heavy voice: "Move out!"

[Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique]

Thick, heavy fog shrouded the area, and from within the mist came...

Biwa Juzo's cruel voice:

"Whether it's the 'Yellow Flash' or that Uchiha brat, today you will be... with me, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, here..."

"I will annihilate you all!"

The voice echoing through the mist was filled with absolute confidence!

It was as if they had already been defeated before the fight had even truly begun!

Hearing this, Namikaze Minato frowned slightly.

His original plan had been to test his students.

Who would have thought that the Mist Ninjas, who had transformed and laid an ambush by the water puddles on the road, would be so utterly useless...

They were defeated after only a few exchanges.

This forced them to split their forces to rescue the female ninja.

This immediately allowed Kakashi to begin moving with ease.

After all, Obito and Rin were not to be underestimated either.

This is troublesome...

Should I continue to hold back and let them test the Yuzhen kid a little more?

Just as Minato had this thought, Uchiha Yuzhen's words of contempt drifted through the mist.

"Yapping on and on, what a pain!"

"Can't you just start the fight already?! I'm tired of hearing you spout nonsense!"

With a loud shout, Yuzhen quickly formed hand seals.

A flare of chakra began to rise from his body.

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