The bandaged man's eyes flashed with murderous intent.
Sarutobi Asuma stood between Sunagakure and the Uchiha Clan, not daring to move a muscle.
Many members of the Shimura Clan had already realized that Sarutobi Asuma wasn't like Danzo. He wasn't someone who would abandon everything to achieve his goals.
A man like that might make a fine leader, but if they expected him to lead a rebellion, they'd get nowhere!
"Our Shimura Clan aren't Sarutobi Asuma's subordinates." The bandaged man looked down at Uchiha Yu and Gaara, a smile tugging at his lips. "I wonder if Uchiha Yu can stand against a rampaging Shukaku?"
Then he formed hand seals and laughed. "I'll take care of what Shimura Danzo couldn't!"
A huge amount of Wind Release chakra poured into the shuriken in the Masked Man's hand.
It made the shuriken not only sharper, but incredibly fast!
"Wind Release: Shuriken!"
The shuriken, infused with Wind Release chakra, skimmed through the shadows of the night and flashed past Uchiha Yu from behind!
Uchiha Yu was caught completely off guard.
It stabbed toward his throat!
By the time Uchiha Yu reacted, it was too late. He could only manage to jerk his head aside and dodge the fatal blow.
The shuriken cut straight through Uchiha Yu's arm and continued toward Gaara!
A vast amount of sand formed a huge barrier, stopping the shuriken before it could reach Gaara and protecting him.
But blood still sprayed from Uchiha Yu's arm!
"I've been ambushed!" Uchiha Yu tracked the shuriken's path with his Sharingan and looked behind him.
Two figures were hiding in the darkness. They seemed to think Uchiha Yu wouldn't spot them so quickly.
The warm blood splashed across Gaara's cheek. He stared blankly, then lightly wiped his face with a finger. When he saw the streak of crimson on his hand, his eyes suddenly turned bloodred.
"Who was it?!"
Gaara let out a furious roar, and a huge amount of chakra exploded from within him!
"A seven-year-old Gaara shouldn't have this much chakra! Shukaku's chakra is leaking out!"
Uchiha Yu's eyes widened.
Damn, I wasn't the target!
They wanted Shukaku to kill me!
"Wood Release: Wood Clone Technique!"
Uchiha Yu left a Wood Clone behind and dashed after the two shadows.
He had to find out who his enemies were—Sunagakure, or the traitors from the Sarutobi and Shimura Clans.
But surely Sunagakure wouldn't be stupid enough to assassinate its own Jinchūriki?
The Wood Clone was far stronger than an ordinary Shadow Clone, but it still couldn't stand against Gaara in his current rage.
Sand pierced straight through the clone's chest and tore it apart!
"This must be Shukaku's chakra leaking out. Because of his seal, Shukaku awakens whenever Gaara falls asleep. That's why Gaara barely sleeps, leaving him incredibly irritable." Uchiha Yu swallowed. "When his mind is weak or he's asleep, Shukaku can open the seal and let out a huge amount of chakra, even without fully awakening!"
Uchiha Yu had no desire to test Shukaku's power.
Of everyone in Sunagakure, perhaps only Rasa, who could control Gold Dust, could reliably keep Shukaku in check.
Even though he had Wood Release, which had a natural advantage against Shukaku,
he still might not get away unscathed!
The two Shimura shinobi were about to escape. Uchiha Yu steeled himself and activated his ocular technique.
"Great Luo Heaven!"
Great Luo Heaven, which could freely manipulate attractive and repulsive forces, instantly enveloped the two shinobi. Its powerful twisting force crushed them both.
Blood sprayed everywhere!
With the remaining ocular power, he sent their blood-soaked Forehead Protectors flying into his hands.
"They really were shinobi from Konoha! They must have been from the Sarutobi or Shimura Clan!" Uchiha Yu clenched his teeth.
He hadn't expected them to be so vicious.
They wanted to use Shukaku to kill him!
What had he ever done to them?!
After dealing with the two shinobi, Uchiha Yu looked at Gaara, who was unable to control his emotions, and scratched his head.
"How am I supposed to deal with this guy?"
Uchiha Yu pressed his palms together. "Wood Release: Great Forest Technique!"
A mass of trees burst from Uchiha Yu's arms and shot toward Gaara, ready to bind him.
But before they could reach him, countless grains of sand slammed into the Wood Release.
With a crack, the wood shattered!
Uchiha Yu took a deep breath and covered his left eye. Great Luo Heaven was still on cooldown.
He couldn't use Great Luo Heaven to suppress Shukaku for at least ten seconds.
Besides, his ocular power might not be enough to keep Gaara in check!
It was true that he had a Sage Body, but damn it, Gaara had a Tailed Beast!
"Kid, don't blame me!"
Uchiha Yu took a deep breath and fixed his Mangekyō Sharingan on Gaara.
By watching Gaara's movements, Uchiha Yu could use his Mangekyō Sharingan to read the tension in his muscles and predict what he would do.
Uchiha Yu sidestepped and dodged Gaara as he lunged at him.
"Water Release: Heavenly Weeping!"
Uchiha Yu opened his mouth and spat out a rapid stream of water needles.
It was a ninjutsu that required no hand seals, developed by the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama!
It was incredibly fast and almost impossible to defend against!
"Grandpa Second, help me out!"
Uchiha Yu didn't know if Heavenly Weeping could outpace Gaara's Shield of Sand.
The water needles were fast, but Gaara's sand was just as quick!
The sand instantly came together in a solid mass, blocking the needles.
The needles had soaked Gaara's sand, and Uchiha Yu furrowed his brow.
He pressed both hands against the sand surrounding Gaara.
"Earth Release: Ultra-Added-Weight Rock Technique!"
Not only the sand but Gaara himself grew several times heavier in an instant.
The tremendous force pinned Gaara down. With a crash, he fell to the ground.
At the same time, the sand wrapped around his entire body, hiding even his eyes.
He looked as if he were trapped inside a giant eggshell.
"Couldn't you at least leave one eye showing? I can't even use genjutsu!" Uchiha Yu clenched his teeth and punched the sand.
His fist smashed a long crack into the hard sand, but the Shield of Sand kept replenishing itself, joining back together.
Gaara's mouth was filled with incoherent roars, making Uchiha Yu's heart sink with unease.
"Great Luo Heaven!"
Blood streamed from Uchiha Yu's eyes.
The immense force twisted the sand, forcibly tearing an opening in the Shield of Sand.
Uchiha Yu peered through it and saw a pair of eyes, cold and utterly despairing.
They were vacant, yet sent a chill down his spine.
Uchiha Yu didn't dare hesitate. He activated his genjutsu.
Gaara shuddered and froze in place. The sand floating around him slowly fell away.
"It worked!" Uchiha Yu exclaimed, overjoyed.
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