"What's wrong with you? The one thing Root despises most is disobeying orders." The Cold Root Ninja, just awakened from the genjutsu, glanced at the shorter Root Ninja behind him, his voice full of anger.
"No... I... I'm sorry, Captain." The shorter Root Ninja shook his head, then drew his kunai. From the day he had joined Root, he should have understood that he could never have feelings again. No matter how unbearable the scene before him was... obeying orders always came first.
Uchiha Chiba took a deep breath. The wound in his lung seemed to tear open again. He endured the searing pain in his chest and formed Hand Seals.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
BOOM!!!!
The wall behind Uchiha Chiba shattered. The Explosive Tag went off at the same moment he released the Great Fireball.
"Run!" Uchiha Chiba gritted his teeth, his scarlet Sharingan fixed on the Cold Root Ninja.
Konan, behind Chiba, pressed her lips together and ran out trembling. She glanced back at the figure who was only a head taller than her.
They were both ninja.
Yet this ninja named Chiba was able to protect her, a child who wasn't even a ninja...
Konan's figure disappeared into the rain.
"Water Style: Water Severing Wave!"
The Cold Root Ninja formed Hand Seals without the slightest hint of panic. A ring of water casually swallowed the Great Fireball, which radiated waves of scorching heat. Water and fire collided with a sizzling hiss.
"Kid, if you want someone to blame, blame the fact that you were born into the Uchiha Clan." The Cold Root Ninja moved incredibly fast. In the space of a single breath, he had raised his gleaming short sword high.
WHIRRR!!!!!
Uchiha Chiba's brain blared a warning. His body grew gradually lighter—the limit of what it could do before danger struck.
"Heh... I finally got to come here... and I didn't even get to see Konoha... Just my luck..." Uchiha Chiba let out a breath and gently closed his eyes.
CLANG!!!!!
A long while passed.
The sensation of a blade touching his neck never came. Uchiha Chiba opened his eyes.
The shorter Root Ninja was holding back the Cold Root Ninja's short sword.
"Chen, are you going to betray Lord Danzo?" The Cold Root Ninja's blade clashed with the shorter Root Ninja's kunai, sending sparks flying.
"I'm sorry, Captain. My conscience won't let me go on. I always thought Root was like Anbu. When I found out I'd been branded with the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal, I started to feel lost. Then came the Second Shinobi World War, and now... Every time... every time... I draw my sword and attack a fellow villager, my hand trembles..." Tears streamed from beneath the shorter Root Ninja's mask. He seemed to have made up his mind. "Every night, I dream about the villagers who died by my blade. They stare at me with hatred and ask why I attacked my own people! This time, I want to be human. I want to protect the people of the village!"
The shorter Root Ninja suddenly exerted his strength.
The instant he knocked the Cold Root Ninja back,
he formed Hand Seals.
"Wind Style: Great Wind Palm!"
Uchiha Chiba gritted his teeth and struggled to his feet. Suddenly, he felt a powerful pull from all around him. A terrifying pressure drew the raindrops toward him in scattered streaks!
"Water Style: Water Formation Wall!"
The Cold Root Ninja slapped both hands against the ground.
A wall of water shot up from the earth.
"Root doesn't allow feelings. You can die right alongside that kid." The Cold Root Ninja rushed toward Uchiha Chiba, who had just gotten back to his feet. In his eyes, completing the mission took precedence over dealing with a traitor.
That hand clamped tightly around Uchiha Chiba's throat.
Chiba could feel the terrifying strength in the man's grip.
"Damn it!" Uchiha Chiba gritted his teeth and swung his kunai. His body was too weak; even putting up a basic fight was a struggle.
"Kid, don't let your guard down. You can't die yet!" The shorter Root Ninja planted his foot, then slammed a powerful kick into the Cold Root Ninja's face!
THUD!!!!!
The Cold Root Ninja was sent flying.
The shorter Root Ninja helped Uchiha Chiba up, about to ask if he could manage to escape.
Suddenly—
"Water Style: Water Prison Technique!"
SMACK!
The ground.
A deep-blue sphere of water trapped Uchiha Chiba inside. Bubbles burst from his throat with a muffled gurgle. This was bad...
"Earth Style: Earth Spear!"
The shorter Root Ninja made a quick decision and formed Hand Seals with one hand, trying to pierce the Water Prison's sturdy barrier with an Earth Spear.
"Chen, you're running low on chakra." The Cold Root Ninja shot out of the rain, his short sword pressed hard against the kunai of the Root Ninja called Chen.
"Captain, you're nearly out, too. You trapped that kid in the Water Prison because you're afraid he'll escape, didn't you? When it comes to Taijutsu, I'm no weaker than you." Chen gritted his teeth. Blood trickled from his arm under the pressure.
"That kid has only two minutes left. I sensed it—his chakra is nearly depleted, too. He can last no more than two minutes in the sealed Water Prison. Once that time is up, he's dead. Chen, can you kill me?" The Cold Root Ninja gave a laugh. A hint of relief and helplessness flickered in his voice. He braced his feet, and for a moment, he managed to force Chen down!
What incredible strength!
Chen gritted his teeth. His arm, already injured from the overwhelming pressure, was now trembling constantly. It seemed his claim to be skilled at Taijutsu had just been a bluff. A Root Ninja trained for assassination only needed to learn simple killing techniques.
"New Moon Style: Eye Gouge!"
The Cold Root Ninja twisted his right hand, and Chen's body jerked upward with the momentum.
Squelch!
The Cold Root Ninja's short sword traced an arc through the air, then landed precisely in Chen's eye socket. After only a few exchanges, his right eye had been gouged out.
"AAAH!!!!" Chen didn't dare cover his right eye. Even without ninjutsu, battles between jonin were extremely dangerous. An experienced Root Ninja knew exactly when a strike would be most effective!
Damn it!
Uchiha Chiba's mind raced inside the Water Prison. The shorter Root Ninja who had helped him was losing. If he died, Chiba was done for. He had to think of some way to help him!
The fighters were so caught up in their battle that none of them noticed—
A pair of eyes watched them from beside the abandoned house.
CLANG!!!!
Metal scraped against metal, sending sparks flying.
"Only one minute left, Chen. Your right arm is nearly useless, and I've gouged out your right eye. You've already lost." The Cold Root Ninja didn't even use sword techniques. He simply used Taijutsu to keep wearing Chen down.
Chen was already covered in bloody gashes.
"Damn it, can't I even protect someone? Wait, is that—!" Chen's gaze swept over the Water Prison. Suddenly, he knocked the Cold Root Ninja's short sword aside with all his strength and ran toward the prison nearby.
"Struggling in vain? Goodbye, Chen!" The Cold Root Ninja gathered all his strength at the tip of his short sword!
The next moment—
Squelch!
WHIRRR!!!!
The scarlet Sharingan flared to life behind Chen's impaled body. The Cold Root Ninja faltered for an instant, and Chen seized the opening with his last strength, slashing his throat open. Blood gushed out.
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