Stalemate Maneuvers and Ice Bone Rescue

Obito's Kamui attack missed, and his brow twitched almost imperceptibly beneath his mask. The mobility of the Flying Thunder God Technique truly lived up to its reputation.

"You've got quick reflexes, kid." Obito's voice remained laced with the playful mockery of a cat toying with a mouse as his figure merged once more into the swirling vortex of Kamui. "But can you predict where I'll appear next?"

Ling's Sharingan scanned every minute fluctuation in the surrounding space, his brain whirring at top speed. He pushed the extraordinary sensory perception granted by his Sage Body to its absolute limit, beads of sweat rolling down his temples. Confronting Obito head-on was suicide; his only chance of survival lay in maneuvering and stalling!

"Left!"

Almost the instant the spatial fluctuation manifested, Ling activated the Flying Thunder God Technique again, narrowly dodging Obito, who had reached out from the left in an attempt to grab his arm.

"Tsk, your senses are sharp, too." Obito's figure solidified elsewhere, the playfulness in his tone fading into a hint of seriousness. "It seems that wasn't just luck."

Two successful dodges helped Ling build a sliver of confidence. He realized that Obito did not seem to be using his full strength, appearing more interested in testing his limits. This gave him a moment to catch his breath.

"Uchiha Izumi! Get out of here! Find someone named Haku or Kimimaro; they will protect you!" Ling took advantage of the gap to bark at Uchiha Izumi, who remained frozen in shock and terror. He had to get her out of this most dangerous battlefield.

Izumi snapped back to reality. Looking at this young clansman, usually so quiet and reserved, now sparring with such a terrifying enemy, her heart was filled with indescribable shock and worry. Yet, she knew that staying would only make her a burden.

"You... be careful!" She gritted her teeth, took one last look at Ling, and turned to dash into the thick fog without hesitation.

"Trying to leave?" Obito chuckled, his figure blurring once more, his target clearly the fleeing Izumi!

"Your opponent is me!" A fierce light flashed in Ling's eyes. This time, he did not choose to dodge! He gripped three kunai in each hand, each attached to an Explosive Tag, and with precision and force beyond his years, he threw them—not at Obito, but at the ground and spatial nodes between Obito and Izumi!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The successive explosions kicked up shockwaves and dust, briefly disrupting the spatial stability and visibility in that area. Obito was forced to exit his Kamui state, looking at Ling with a hint of surprise.

"Good tactical thinking. Unfortunately..." Before Obito could finish, Ling had already used the Flying Thunder God Technique to change his position, his hands weaving seals simultaneously—

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

It was not an attack, but a move to further churn the fog, interfering with Obito's vision and sensory positioning. For a time, the area where the two stood became a roiling sea of mist. Figures flickered in and out of sight, the golden light of the Flying Thunder God and the swirling vortex of Kamui flashing intermittently, accompanied by the clashing of kunai and sporadic explosions, creating a bizarre and dangerous game of hide-and-seek.

Ling pushed his speed and mobility to the limit, never staying in one spot for more than a second. He knew that if he were touched by Obito or caught in the genjutsu of his Sharingan, it would be over. He was dancing on the edge of a blade, his mental energy and chakra draining rapidly.

Meanwhile, in other parts of the clan compound shrouded in thick fog.

Uchiha Itachi moved like a black reaper, weaving through the familiar streets and houses. His blade was cold and precise; every swing marked the erasure of a name from his list. His face remained expressionless, though deep within his Mangekyo Sharingan lay an unspeakable agony and resolve. Occasionally, a clansman on his blacklist would run past in a panic, but he merely used genjutsu to knock them unconscious rather than killing them.

Elsewhere, the hunting team of Kimimaro and Zabuza operated with high efficiency.

"Shikotsumyaku: Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets!"

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"

The combination of bone bullets and the water dragon instantly tore apart a radical chunin who had attempted to organize resistance, along with his two subordinates.

"Hmph, the Uchiha's Sharingan is nothing special." Zabuza flicked the blood droplets off his Executioner's Blade, his tone disdainful.

Kimimaro did not reply, his gaze scanning the surroundings vigilantly. Suddenly, he sensed something and looked in one direction: "Over there, a large number of non-combatants are gathering. They are in a state of panic."

"Tch, troublesome." Zabuza, though impatient, hoisted his blade. "According to the plan, guide them to the assembly point. That kid Haku should already be on his way."

Uchiha Izumi ran desperately through the fog, her heart hammering against her ribs. The surrounding screams and sounds of battle filled her with terror; she could only rely on her memory and Ling's directions to run toward the outskirts of the compound.

Suddenly, two figures lunged out of the mist ahead, blocking her path! They were two young Uchiha radicals, driven nearly insane by the genjutsu and the slaughter. They recognized Izumi, and chaotic killing intent flickered in their eyes.

"It's Izumi! She's with those cowards!"

"Kill her!"

Izumi's face turned deathly pale. Although she had awakened a single-tomoe Sharingan, her combat experience was virtually zero. Facing two clansmen lost to madness, she retreated instinctively, feeling almost hopeless.

"Ice Release: Icicle!"

Just at the critical moment, several sharp icicles descended from the sky, precisely piercing the feet of the two radical youths and pinning them to the ground, drawing shrill screams from them.

Within the mist, Haku's figure emerged slowly from an ice mirror. His face bore an expression of reluctance, but his movements were decisive. "Are you Miss Izumi? Lord Ling asked me to come and assist you. Please, come with me; I will take you to a safe place."

Looking at this delicate-featured youth who had appeared out of nowhere and used Ice Release, Izumi felt as if she had grabbed a lifeline and nodded hurriedly.

At the same time, on another street, Kimimaro had also found the first group of over a dozen panicked women and children, guiding them to evacuate along the path of ice crystals Haku had created.

The rescue operation unfolded with difficulty, yet in an orderly fashion, amidst the gaps in the slaughter.

On the main battlefield, the standoff between Ling and Obito continued. Ling's chakra was more than half depleted, and his breathing had become ragged. Obito seemed to be losing patience, his attacks becoming increasingly fierce.

"The game should end now, little mouse." Obito's voice turned cold. The pattern of his Mangekyo Sharingan rotated slowly, and a more potent ocular power began to condense.

Ling's heart sank; he knew the most dangerous moment was at hand. While calculating the landing point for his Flying Thunder God, he pressed a hand to the seal on his abdomen—if necessary, he would have to risk drawing upon a sliver of the Nine-Tails' chakra!

However, just as the tension reached its breaking point, a cold, familiar voice, as if from the depths of the underworld, echoed through the fog:

"Your opponent should be me... 'Madara'."

Uchiha Itachi, gripping a dripping longsword and dressed in blood-stained Anbu attire, walked slowly out of the mist. His eerie Mangekyo Sharingan locked coldly onto Obito.

The pressure on Ling lifted instantly. The mole had finally stood on his side at the most critical moment!