Chapter 16

"C-Clan leader! Uchiha Liuyun is here!"

Uchiha Jitu rose from the ground. Staring at the icy world beyond the door, he swallowed nervously.

"Hmph! Useless!"

The sight of Uchiha Jitu only made Uchiha Fuchu angrier. He strode outside.

A knife-sharp wind cut into the three of them.

Uchiha Fuchu shivered despite himself.

"It's colder than the Land of Snow!" Uchiha Shentong frowned.

As he spoke, the three crossed the corridor and entered the courtyard.

A black-clad young man stood with his hands behind his back, gazing up at the full moon. The bitter wind around him seemed unable to touch him.

All around him stood lifelike Ice Statues, their faces frozen in confusion.

The ground and rockery were blanketed in white. It was as though they had stepped into a World of Ice.

Hearing their footsteps, Uchiha Liuyun turned.

A faint smile touched his lips. "Clan Leader Fuchu. It's been a while!"

Uchiha Fuchu glanced at the scene around him. A flicker of wariness crossed his eyes before he roared, his face dark.

"Uchiha Liuyun, do you know what you're doing? Are you rebelling?"

"Rebelling?" Liuyun shook his head. "Strength has ruled this world since ancient times!"

"I live by one rule: leave me alone and I'll leave you alone. Come after me, and I'll wipe out your entire family!"

"I'm simply nipping a threat in the bud!"

"What? Do you intend to kill your clan leader? Wipe out the entire Uchiha Clan?"

Uchiha Fuchu held back his fury, his expression dark as water.

"No, no, no." Liuyun shook his head again, looking perfectly serious.

"I came to repay you for recognizing my talent. After tonight, we'll be even!"

A mocking smile curled his lips. "Otherwise, after he went after my woman, do you think Uchiha Fugaku would have made it home alive?"

"Uchiha Liuyun! You've gone too far!"

Uchiha Shentong roared and flashed to Liuyun's side.

A sharp Kunai appeared in his hand, sweeping toward Liuyun's throat!

Slash!

Blood sprayed, and Uchiha Liuyun toppled backward.

"Hmph! Is that all? What a waste!"

Uchiha Shentong sneered, but every muscle in his body remained tense.

He knew anyone capable of wiping out the Uchiha Bodyguards would not be killed so easily.

"You're a little stronger than Uchiha Zhongtong, your fellow bodyguard. Still not strong enough."

The indifferent voice came from behind Uchiha Shentong.

His expression unchanged, Uchiha Shentong raised a hand to attack Liuyun.

Then his face changed. Vines as thick as his waist wrapped tightly around his limbs.

The Vines writhed like striking serpents, engulfing him in an instant.

His limbs suddenly went rigid, as though they had stopped working altogether.

He could only watch as the Vines swallowed him whole.

Liuyun looked at the lifelike Ice Sculpture before him and shook his head slightly.

Then he turned and smiled at Uchiha Fuchu.

"Clan leader, show me everything you've got. If that's all, don't blame me for what happens tonight!"

"Don't worry, I won't kill you. But I can't promise I won't give you a beating."

"You bastard!" Uchiha Fuchu could no longer contain his blazing fury.

His hands blurred through Hand Seals. "Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"

Steam billowed as a huge fire dragon soared into the air and lunged at Liuyun.

(Send flowers, and Rem will look after you tonight. Send rating votes, and Tsunade will look after you! Send both, and they'll both look after you tonight!)

Stab Him in the Kidneys—Together!

Intense flames rolled off the fire dragon, driving back some of the cold.

"Clan Leader Fuchu, do you think I'd have come without an overwhelming advantage?"

Liuyun's calm words had barely fallen when he pointed one finger.

The howling wind swept countless Ice Shards around the oncoming fire dragon!

Crack! Crack!

Ice formed, steam rose, and the fire dragon vanished into a surging wave of frost.

How can this brat's Ice Release be so terrifying?

As his Fire Release was snuffed out, the anger drained from Uchiha Fuchu's face. His expression turned grave.

"Clan leader! I'll use Wind Release. You use Fire Release!" Uchiha Jitu suggested.

"Good!" Uchiha Fuchu nodded.

Their hands flew through Hand Seals.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

"Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"

Scorching flames heated the air once more. Through the spreading smoke, a massive fire dragon appeared.

Fed by the Wind Release, its flames swelled and the dragon surged skyward.

Its enormous body, searing heat, and lifelike form struck fear into anyone who saw it.

Roar!

The fire dragon spewed flames as it climbed, then plunged toward Liuyun like a meteor with overwhelming force!

"Uchiha Liuyun! Let's see how you block this!"

Uchiha Fuchu activated his Sharingan. A smile broke across his grim face.

"W-We did it!" Uchiha Jitu exclaimed.

Just as they smiled, Liuyun slowly raised his left arm and extended one finger!

The fire dragon was falling like a blazing meteor when Liuyun pointed at it.

Fine, glasslike cracks appeared across its body!

Liuyun pointed again!

Boom!

The fearsome giant dragon burst apart like a brilliant firework.

Liuyun's expression did not change. A mocking smile lingered on his lips.

"Wait!" Uchiha Fuchu frowned. His face suddenly changed. "No—we're caught in a Genjutsu!"

His hands raced through Hand Seals, and Chakra erupted from him like a volcano!

The dense Chakra became almost tangible, forming a blue barrier around his body.

He shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Genjutsu: Release!"

Uchiha Fuchu looked up. Nothing around him had changed, and his face darkened further.

He wove Hand Seals even faster, unleashing another surge of Chakra.

"Genjutsu: Release!"

"Genjutsu: Release!"

Clap! Clap! Clap!

"As expected of the Uchiha Clan's leader. Your reactions are quick!"

Liuyun applauded and gave him a thumbs-up. Then his expression turned serious.

"Unfortunately, before these eyes, everything you do is futile!"

"Th-Those are...!" Horror appeared on Uchiha Fuchu's face for the first time.

Three Tomoe revolved within Liuyun's crimson eyes.

They spun faster, like pinwheels, and formed the shape of scythes.

"Those are the same eyes Ancestor Madara had! Impossible! How could someone so young possess them?" Uchiha Fuchu shouted in disbelief.

"Just because you can't do it doesn't mean no one else can! Don't judge others by your own ignorance!"

Liuyun's eyes widened, and the world before Uchiha Fuchu changed.

A crimson full moon hung above Cross Tombstones scattered haphazardly across the ground.

Crows circled overhead, singing what they seemed to think was their sweetest song.

Before a towering Cross Tombstone, Uchiha Fuchu was bound spread-eagled like Jesus, held fast by black ropes.

"Where am I?"

Uchiha Fuchu's face tightened. His Sharingan spun furiously as he tried to break free of the Genjutsu.

"It's no use!" Liuyun appeared before him, holding a long blade.

"This world is made from my Genjutsu. Its time, space, and everything in it are under my control!"

"It can last up to seventy-two hours. Three days can pass here while only an instant passes outside!"

"To make sure the lesson stays with you, I've planned a full day of training you to take a hit!"

As Liuyun spoke, he drove the blade into Uchiha Fuchu's kidney without hesitation!

Uchiha Fuchu gritted his teeth. Cold sweat covered his forehead, but he did not scream. He was the Uchiha Clan's leader, after all.

"No rush! Consider what comes next your punishment for ignoring my warning!"

Liuyun pulled the Long Sword free. Uchiha Fuchu had barely breathed a sigh of relief when it stabbed into him again!

"Fuck!" Even a clan leader like him could not hold back the curse.

Stab him in the kidneys! Stab him in the kidneys! Let's stab him in the kidneys together!

The full moon hung high, shining with a dazzling, cold light.

On Konoha's streets, people in short sleeves laughed and played amid the bustling night market.

The Uchiha Clan Compound presented the exact opposite scene.

Ice sealed the ground. White covered everything, and deep winter seemed to have settled over the compound.

Amid the lifelike Ice Sculptures, two figures stood facing each other.

Without warning, one of them clutched his side. Bloody tears ran from his eyes as he gasped for breath.

Uchiha Fuchu looked at the smiling young man before him, fear flickering in his eyes.

During that day inside the Genjutsu, only heaven knew how many times his kidney had been stabbed.

It might haunt him for the rest of his life.