Kumogakure's Magnet Release Ninja

After all, who wouldn't want a strong captain who could lead them to complete mission after mission without any accidents?

On top of that, Shōji didn't have the Uchiha Clan's usual bad habits.

Therefore, these people had all cast aside their "Uchiha-tinted glasses" when judging Shōji and sincerely obeyed his orders without reservation.

"Can you determine the direction that group is heading?"

Today was another routine day for Shōji to lead his team out on reconnaissance and sweeping missions. The Kumo Ninja squad they had tracked down was the same unit that had repeatedly raided their logistical supply lines. Shōji and several other teams had tracked and encircled them several times, yet the enemy had escaped every time. The biggest problem was that they were hard to pin down. Otherwise, with Shōji's current strength, he could have wiped out this squad.

It always felt as though they had been just a little unlucky.

But this morning, they had unexpectedly caught the squad's trail.

Although Shōji sensed that something was amiss, he could not let this opportunity slip away. After notifying the nearest teams in the surrounding area, he led his squad directly in pursuit.

Yet the farther they chased, the stronger the warning in his heart became.

"Yes, Captain. We can track them. They're roughly southeast of us and not too far away. At our current pace, we can catch up to them within half an hour!"

The reconnaissance-type Chūnin spoke with complete confidence.

"Half an hour to catch up?"

Shōji frowned instead upon hearing that.

By ordinary logic, this was perfectly normal.

But no matter how he looked at it, it felt like a trap. If his team currently had a Hyuga Clan member, Shōji would have been bolder about continuing the pursuit. However, there were not many Hyuga Clan ninja assigned to the northeastern sector to begin with, and it was difficult to provide every team with one.

At that thought,

a trace of resolve appeared between Shōji's brows. "Withdraw for now!"

"Huh?"

"Captain?"

The answer was somewhat beyond their expectations.

For the past two months, Uchiha Shōji had led them in killing countless enemies, yet he had suddenly decided to retreat for the time being.

The three or four team members beside him were all briefly stunned.

But on the battlefield,

obeying orders was every ninja's duty.

"Yes!"

After their momentary shock and confusion,

none of them said another word. They each answered in acknowledgment.

"Heh heh!"

Just as they were about to move,

"Get out of the way!"

Suddenly,

a cold laugh came from high above.

"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Rain Technique!"

In the next instant,

the sky abruptly darkened.

A massive, heavy black shadow gathered directly ahead.

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

Accompanied by a barrage of fierce whistling sounds,

a rain of black needles came crashing down.

"Hm!?"

With swift reflexes, Shōji flashed forward and positioned himself directly in front of his subordinates.

"Earth Release: Mud Wall Technique!"

His hand seals formed at high speed.

With a forceful slap,

"Rumble!"

A massive earthen wall surged upward.

As it blocked the sky,

"Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Crisp, violent impacts rang out in rapid succession.

"Whoosh!"

After blocking every one of the "black needle rain,"

"Whoosh!"

Shōji leaped up in a flash and landed firmly atop the earthen wall he had created.

"Everyone, stay alert!"

His loud command rang out.

"Yes!"

The teammates below had already assumed vigilant battle stances the instant the technique struck. At almost the same moment, more than a dozen figures suddenly appeared around them, wearing Kumogakure's standard equipment and Kumo Ninja forehead protectors.

The instant he saw this,

Shōji understood that he had fallen into the enemy's scheme.

Especially when he saw the leader's distinctive attire and short purple hair, the wariness in Shōji's eyes deepened. His grip on the Tachi in his right hand tightened further.

"Magnet Release ninja—Toroi!?"

From below,

a Konoha Ninja who recognized the purple-haired Kumo Ninja's identity shrank his pupils and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Haha, that's right! I am Toroi, Kumogakure Jōnin and Magnet Release ninja! I've been waiting here for you Konoha fellows for quite some time, especially you, Uchiha Shōji. I've spent quite a while searching and waiting for you!"

Toroi looked at Uchiha Shōji ahead of him, a cold glint appearing in his eyes. The dense killing intent radiating from his body proved just how terrifying this Kumogakure Jōnin with the Magnet Release bloodline was.

Judging by the intensity of his aura, this man was still far from Kage-level, but he was undoubtedly an Elite Jōnin.

This was the first true formidable opponent Shōji had encountered since arriving at the front lines.

"I never expected the renowned Magnet Release ninja Toroi of the Third Shinobi World War to deliberately ambush a junior like me here. I'm truly honored."

Shōji smiled faintly. Every muscle in his body was taut. Though his gaze seemed fixed on Toroi, he was actually observing the Kumo Ninja closing in around him. Judging by their presence alone, these Kumo Ninja were at least ordinary Chūnin. The two closest to Toroi looked like Jōnin no matter how he assessed them. To put it bluntly, Kumogakure had truly dispatched an elite force to deal with him this time.

This was indeed beyond Shōji's expectations.

After all, the strength he had displayed was only close to that of an Elite Jōnin. Kumogakure's lineup was a bit excessive. Shōji's estimate was not wrong, but that was under ordinary circumstances. He had overlooked two crucial factors: Uchiha, and fourteen years old. When those two "attributes" were attached to Shōji,

the level of threat he posed in the eyes of the Kumo Ninja rose geometrically. There was more than one Uchiha on the front lines, and there were even several Elite Jōnin among them. But those with strength comparable to Shōji's were either nearly thirty years old, or they were his age but only at the Elite Chūnin level at most.

Their threat levels could not be mentioned in the same breath. Konoha always produced many geniuses during the Shinobi World Wars. In the Third Shinobi World War, Minato Namikaze was the most outstanding, followed by Shisui Uchiha and Kakashi Hatake, who had both earned considerable fame.