Four Violet Flames Formation

"Kill!"

The instant Kiyomizu Kensuke's voice fell, the eleven Root operatives moved simultaneously.

Their movements were extremely fast and their coordination was exceptionally seamless, with no one rushing forward recklessly.

Someone formed hand seals with both hands and took a sharp breath.

"Wind Release: Wind Cutter!"

Dozens of invisible wind blades slashed from the side, sealing Uchiha En's left path.

Another Root operative simultaneously pressed their hands to the ground.

"Earth Release: Earth Flow River!"

The ground suddenly bulged, transforming into a mudslide that surged toward Uchiha En's feet, restricting his range of movement.

"Lightning Release: Lightning Strike!"

A silver-white flash of lightning cleaved down from the air, striking straight at the top of Uchiha En's head.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

A massive fireball roared toward him head-on.

Wind aided the flames, and under the reinforcement of the Wind Release, the fireball's destructive power surged exponentially, transforming into a towering sea of fire that swept toward Uchiha En.

Four ninjutsu of different natures were unleashed at almost the exact same time.

Blocking retreat routes, restricting movement, long-range striking, and blanket bombing, the cooperation was flawless.

This was the combat style of Root; they would not strike unless necessary, but every strike was meant to be fatal.

Uchiha En stood in place, watching the attacks flood in from all directions, yet the corners of his mouth curled into a smile.

Just in time.

He did not dodge, instead forming hand seals rapidly with both hands.

"Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall!"

Boom!

The ground shook violently.

Rows of massive wooden pillars burst out from underground, forming a semicircular wooden fortress around him.

The wooden pillars were thick enough for three people to embrace, their surfaces smooth, sturdy, and layered, completely enveloping his body within.

The next second, the wind blades slashed against the wooden wall, leaving behind several shallow scratches; the Earth Flow River crashed against the wooden wall and was blocked dead in its tracks; the lightning strike cleaved down upon the wooden roof, electricity scattering in all directions without managing to pierce through; and the sea of fire swallowed the entire Wood Locking Wall, the flames licking at the wooden barrier and emitting a crackling sound.

Yet the Wood Locking Wall remained completely unmoving.

Uchiha En stood inside the Wood Locking Wall, listening to the roaring sounds of the ninjutsu colliding outside and sensing the feedback transmitted by the Wood Release.

Defense... not bad.

He nodded, quite satisfied with this result.

The Wood Locking Wall of basic Wood Release could easily block the combined attack of four elite jōnin, so it seemed the system's rewards were indeed reliable.

Right at that moment.

Thud! Thud!

The ground beneath his feet suddenly split open, and two dark figures violently burst out from underground!

Everyone's attention was focused on the frontal clash of ninjutsu, and no one had noticed that two Root operatives had long since burrowed underground using Earth Release.

They had been waiting for this very opportunity, launching their strike from underground just as the Wood Locking Wall blocked all attacks!

One on the left, one on the right.

Two kunai radiating a purple glow thrust fiercely toward Uchiha En's lower back and ribs.

That was a sealing jutsu; the moment the kunai pierced the flesh, the sealing jutsu would activate, sealing away chakra.

A shinobi without chakra was completely useless, even with the Mangekyō Sharingan.

The kunai drew closer and closer.

Smiles had already surfaced on the faces of the two Root operatives.

Got him!

However, squish.

The kunai pierced Uchiha En's body.

Yet that feeling... was wrong.

There was no resistance of piercing into flesh and blood; instead, it felt like stabbing into a piece of wood, causing the pupils of the two Root operatives to violently constrict.

The next second.

A layer of wooden grain surfaced on the body of the "Uchiha En" before them, and with a pop, he transformed into a fractured piece of wood.

Wood Clone!

The two Root operatives stood frozen in place.

When... when did he?!

Their gazes subconsciously swept around their surroundings, but there was no sign of Uchiha En anywhere in the clearing.

Just then, a lazy voice drifted down from the tree beside them.

"I have to say..."

"You bunch of rats from Root, even though you only know how to pull off shady and underhanded tricks."

"Your strength... is still not bad."

Everyone whipped their heads around.

They saw Uchiha En squatting on the branch of a large tree, looking down at them from above.

With his arms crossed over his chest, a playful smile hung at the corners of his mouth.

"Eleven people, cooperation across four attribute ninjutsu, plus a subterranean surprise attack..."

"If I hadn't kept my guard up in advance, you really would have pulled it off."

Kiyomizu Kensuke's expression sank.

Without a word of nonsense, he slammed his right foot fiercely against the tree trunk, transforming into an afterimage as he rushed toward Uchiha En!

At the same time, his hands formed hand seals rapidly.

"Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere!"

Chakra gathered and compressed, transforming into a high-speed rotating sphere of wind that blasted from his mouth!

The wind sphere roared through the air, tearing the atmosphere apart in its wake and emitting a piercing shriek.

Kiyomizu Kensuke closely followed right behind the wind sphere, his right hand already gripping a kunai tightly.

This was his combat style—forcing the opponent to dodge with ninjutsu, then launching a surprise assassination the instant the opponent evaded.

Yet Uchiha En had no intention of engaging head-on; his body swayed slightly, and he vanished directly from the tree branch.

The next second, he appeared on another large tree.

The Vacuum Great Sphere pierced right through the branch he had previously occupied and exploded violently, splinters flying in all directions.

Kiyomizu Kensuke missed his strike, but without pausing, he pushed off the ground with his foot and pursued again.

"Lightning Release: Earth Flow!"

Another Root operative coordinated the attack, silver-white currents of electricity spreading upwards along the tree trunk.

Uchiha En once more used the Body Flicker Technique to evade, landing in the open clearing ten meters away.

Four or five times in succession.

He merely dodged blindly, with no intention of fighting back whatsoever.

Kiyomizu Kensuke halted his pursuit, standing in the clearing and staring coldly at Uchiha En.

"Uchiha En."

Ridicule laced his voice.

"As the grand head of the Uchiha Clan, a man who possesses the Mangekyō Sharingan..."

"Do you only know how to scurry around dodging like a monkey?"

"Or could it be..."

He took a step forward, his gaze filled with provocation.

"That pair of eyes of yours is nothing more than decoration?"

The other Root operatives also landed one after another, gradually tightening the encirclement.

Uchiha En paid no mind to their mockery.

He straightened his posture, dusted off his sleeves with a pat, and swept his calm gaze across every single person present.

He had not grown angry; the reason he had not attacked was simple—he did not want a single person here to escape, and he was waiting for the right moment.

Twelve elite jōnin with seamless coordination and mature tactics; if they fled with all their might, even if he used the teleportation ability of the Sharingan, he might not necessarily be able to slaughter them all before these shinobi escaped into Konoha.

Seeing that Uchiha En remained silent for so long, Kiyomizu Kensuke assumed he was feeling guilty, and the mockery on his face grew even more intense.

"What? Cat got your tongue?"

"Or perhaps... you've already prepared yourself to die?"

Uchiha En raised his head, glanced at him, and a smile curled the corners of his mouth.

"I was just thinking..."

"That old bastard Danzo really was willing to bleed a fortune."

"To kill a twelve-year-old boy like me, he sent twelve elite jōnin here to throw away their lives."

Kiyomizu Kensuke's expression darkened instantly.

"Still talking tough with death at your doorstep!"

With a wave of his hand, four Root operatives formed hand seals simultaneously.

"Ninpō: Four Violet Flames Formation!"

Hum!

Four translucent purple fire walls rose from the ground, instantly converging to form a closed, square cage. Purplish-black flames boiled along the walls, radiating a scorching heat, while dense runes flickered with an eerie glow at the boundaries of the barrier.

The entire battlefield was thoroughly sealed off.

Uchiha En raised his head and looked up at the rising Four Violet Flames Formation.

A meaningful smile slowly bloomed at the corners of his mouth.

"It's finally here."

He spoke softly.

Seeing the barrier rise, Kiyomizu Kensuke let out a breath of relief.

He turned around, looked toward Uchiha En, and laughed out loud.

"Uchiha En!"

"Now... how are you going to run away?!"

Finishing his laugh, he cast a look at the remaining seven Root operatives.

The seven of them instantly understood his intent.

They formed hand seals at the same time.

Ninjutsu of several different natures—Fire Release, Wind Release, Lightning Release, Earth Release, and Water Release—were unleashed at the exact same instant!

Overwhelming ninjutsu, like a towering tidal wave, swept toward Uchiha En!

Flames, lightning, howling gales, mudslides, water dragons...

All the attacks converged into a devastating torrent, engulfing half the clearing within it.