Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue

Realizing Kushina was going back to report him, Shimura Shio's expression darkened.

He had no idea how this brat had seen through his Anbu disguise and identified him as a Root operative. He had hoped to muddy the waters, but if the truth came out, it would be disastrous for Lord Danzo!

More importantly, if he failed to deal with this problem, he was sure to meet a bad end himself!

"Wait! You have to stay too!"

He couldn't worry about the consequences now. He would capture both brats first!

Lord Danzo had complained before that the Third Hokage wouldn't entrust the future Jinchūriki to him for training. This was a chance to catch them both.

As for whether Tsunade would blame him afterward... he would worry about that later!

He had no way out. He would be punished either way, so he might as well take the gamble!

He was about to charge at Kushina when Eiji stepped in front of him, hands in his pockets and expression calm.

"I don't recall giving you permission to leave."

"Hah! If you're asking for a beating, brat, I'll give you one!"

Shimura Shio threw a punch straight at him. Eiji didn't even dodge. He simply watched the fist approach his face.

Limitless.

The fist stopped abruptly just short of Eiji's face, as though it had struck the air itself. The Root ninja's face filled with horror.

"Wh... what?"

Gritting his teeth, he forced his fist toward Eiji's cheek. It moved a single millimeter closer, then refused to budge another inch!

"What the hell is going on!?"

He pulled back his fist and launched vicious attacks at every part of Eiji's body!

His head! His chest! His stomach!

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

No matter how hard he tried, the result was the same. Every punch struck empty air in front of Eiji!

Sweat had already formed on his forehead. He couldn't tell whether it came from exertion or from the fear this bizarre sight inspired.

What the hell was wrong with this brat?

It had to be some strange Ninjutsu. Lord Danzo had ordered him to bring the brat in at all costs, and this must be why!

Shio stared at Eiji's unusual blue eyes, growing desperate.

"I can't help it now. Lord Danzo wanted me to bring you in unharmed, but that doesn't look possible anymore!"

Kushina was running farther away. Shio felt the situation slipping out of control!

He had underestimated them because they were children. He hadn't done enough homework!

He pulled ten Shuriken from his Ninja Tool Pouch and hurled them at Eiji. Then he leaped onto a utility pole and raced toward Kushina!

He had no time to waste on this strange brat. He would capture the girl from the Uzumaki Clan first, then come back for Ryuuzaki Eiji!

Meanwhile, Ryuuzaki Eiji made no move to dodge the incoming Shuriken. They stopped just short of him, then clattered to the ground.

He turned toward the retreating Root ninja and raised his arm slightly.

Blue.

Shimura Shio had already spotted Kushina's unmistakable red hair. His face hardened.

His thoughts were a tangled mess. He no longer knew what to do.

Even if he captured Kushina now, how would he explain it to Tsunade and Mito?

Kill her outright? Lord Danzo certainly wouldn't protect him then.

But if he let Kushina report him, he was as good as dead.

Damn it. Damn it all!

To hell with it. If I die, I'm taking someone with me!

Shimura Shio had completely lost his reason.

As he leaped into the air, he reached for his Ninja Tool Pouch, ready to throw a Kunai and end Kushina's life!

But just as he was about to do it, the scene before his eyes abruptly shifted—

"Huh?"

He found himself in front of Ryuuzaki Eiji, his body flying toward him against his will!

No, I can't stop!

He's pulling me in!?

Eiji clenched his right fist and drew back his arm. Then he drove a straight punch into Shio's stomach!

"Gaaah!"

Eiji's fist sank deep into Shio's abdomen!

It was straight out of a Dragon Ball fight. His stomach caved in!

The impact knocked off his mask, revealing a face twisted by sudden agony.

H-how...? How could a child hit this hard!?

That thought flashed through Shio's mind the instant the punch landed.

Boom!

The blow launched him like a cannonball. Bent over like a shrimp, he flew backward, struck a wall, and slowly slid to the ground.

A web of cracks spread across the wall where his back had hit it.

Eiji pulled back his fist and shook out his hand. He hadn't expected the walls along Konoha's streets to be so shoddy, too.

At least they were sturdier than those at Konoha Academy. Otherwise, that full-strength punch would have embedded Shio in the wall.

Perhaps because he had studied the Eight Gates under Uncle Might Duy, Eiji was now far stronger physically than others his age.

Once he learned Reverse Cursed Technique and could heal his body, he planned to try sustaining the Eight Gates for extended periods, until he could keep the Gate of Death open as his default state and land Black Flashes with every punch.

His purpose in using Blue just now hadn't been to tear his target apart. He had used it to pull a target within the Six Eyes' range to himself—the reverse of Flying Thunder God, in a way.

Against someone weak, someone who couldn't resist, or an inanimate object, it meant an instant grab. If his target were the Raikage cloaked in Lightning Release Chakra, though, the Raikage would probably come flying toward him at high speed instead.

Clearly, Blue had judged this Root ninja to be weak.

"You... damn brat..."

Shimura Shio slowly rose. Bits of rubble slid off him as he spoke in a cold voice.

His physical resilience was impressive. He had to be at least as strong as a Special Jōnin. An ordinary ninja would have lost the ability to move by now.

"You think that strange Ninjutsu is enough to beat me? You should have run while I was chasing that Uzumaki girl. Now you're the one who's going to die."

That Ninjutsu had to have a weakness. Shimura Shio refused to believe in an absolute defense. There had to be a blind spot.

And if there was a blind spot, he would cover every angle!

Shio rapidly formed Hand Seals, leaned sharply backward, and filled his chest with air. Then he pitched forward and spat an enormous, scorching fireball at Eiji!

The fireball roared toward Eiji, driving a wave of hot air before it!

Flames reflected in Eiji's blue eyes, making them look clearer and brighter than ever!

Limitless.

The fireball stopped just short of Eiji, then burst apart. Flames engulfed him completely.

From Shimura Shio's perspective, his Great Fireball was burning Ryuuzaki Eiji to a crisp.

He was certain Ryuuzaki Eiji's eyes were the key. That Ninjutsu must depend on them.

He didn't know why his attacks couldn't hit the boy, but what about the blast at the end of the Great Fireball? Even if that failed, the searing heat rising from the flames would be more than he could bear!

Convinced Ryuuzaki Eiji was doomed, Shimura Shio spat and said bitterly,

"Arrogant brat. There's no such thing as invincible Ninjutsu. This is how you end up... I just hope there's enough of your body left."

He couldn't expect the eyes to survive. After that prolonged roasting, he would be lucky if any of the boy's tissue remained.

Either way, he had no way to account for this now.

He still had to pursue Kushina Uzumaki, though he had lost so much time that he held little hope of catching her.

Shimura Shio had just leaped onto the wall when Ryuuzaki Eiji's voice sounded behind him.

"So the moment you realized you couldn't bring me to Danzo unharmed, you lost your mind and started lashing out? What a pathetic sight."