Flying Thunder God Mark

"Asuma, how are you? What happened?"

The lead ANBU Ninja dropped to one knee beside Asuma and asked urgently, anger straining beneath his voice.

He reached out to check Asuma's injuries, but the moment his fingers touched the twisted arm, Asuma let out a muffled groan and convulsed in pain.

"Big brother..."

Fighting through the agony, Asuma rasped, "It was that damned Uchiha in the ramen shop! He was vicious! I might... never be a man again!"

His voice trembled, and his eyes were bloodshot.

If only his limbs had been broken, Asuma would never have complained and cursed in front of so many people. He was the Hokage's son, one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, and an Elite Jonin accustomed to life and death. He had that much pride.

But that kick to the groin had been brutal!

The pain was like red-hot pincers clamped around him. Every breath felt as though blades were sawing back and forth inside!

Worse was the fear rising from the depths of his bones. If he really had been crippled, how was he supposed to live the rest of his life?

Asuma hated the Uchiha who had hurt him with every fiber of his being.

"This is outrageous!"

Sarutobi Shinnosuke shot to his feet, his face contorted with rage beneath his mask.

His younger brother had been beaten into this state. If he, the older brother, did nothing, how could he still call himself the ANBU Captain?

"Get him! Kill him!"

He gave the order without a second thought.

The three ANBU Ninja behind him drew their weapons in unison—Kunai, Ninja Blades, and a Chain, their cold edges flashing between their fingers.

All four used the Body Flicker Technique at once and charged toward the ramen shop, brimming with killing intent!

And then...

In midair, Sarutobi Shinnosuke saw the man inside the ramen shop.

Uchiha Yongye!

Sarutobi Shinnosuke faltered. His heart clenched.

He had been there last night.

He had watched Uchiha Yongye slaughter Root ninja like lambs. When Yamanaka Fū's head went flying, blood had splashed all over Danzo's face!

He had also watched Uchiha Yongye activate the Eight Gates Release and easily overpower Might Guy, Konoha's strongest Taijutsu fighter.

Against someone with that level of Kage Level power, the four of them charging in head-on...

They were walking straight to their deaths!

"Stop!"

Sarutobi Shinnosuke shouted almost on instinct. His voice was sharp and urgent, carrying a trace of fear he himself had not noticed.

"It's a misunderstanding! All of it!"

Too late.

Uchiha Yongye had already charged to meet them!

The four ANBU were coming in too fast, their killing intent too obvious, but Uchiha Yongye reacted even faster.

Crimson Three-Tomoe bloomed in his eyes, and violent Chakra erupted from his body.

Eight Gates Release—Opening Gate, Gate of Healing, Gate of Life, Gate of Pain, Gate of Limit, Gate of View, Gate of Wonder!

Seven gates opened in succession!

Green flames surged upward, blasting a huge hole through the ramen shop's ceiling.

Wood splinters, roof tiles, and dust rained down. Sunlight poured through the hole and fell upon the figure wrapped in green flames.

Too fast!

The four ANBU had no time to perform Hand Seals for Ninjutsu. Sarutobi Shinnosuke had only just brought his hands together when Yongye vanished from where he stood.

All four could catch was a blur!

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

Four dull impacts sounded almost as one.

The first ANBU took a kick to the chest. He shot away like a stone from a catapult, smashed through the ramen shop's wall, and tumbled into the middle of the street amid broken bricks and splintered wood. The second took a blow to the abdomen, folded like a shrimp, and flew backward through the Fruit Stand opposite. Apples and oranges rolled everywhere.

The third ANBU tried to block, crossing his arms over his chest.

Yongye's foot struck precisely where his arms crossed. Violent force traveled through his bones and across his body, kicking him through two somersaults before he landed hanging from a crooked tree.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke was the strongest of the four and the quickest to react.

The instant Yongye struck, he forced his charge to a halt, dug both feet into the ground, and retreated.

He moved fast. Yongye moved faster.

That foot still caught him square in the left side of his abdomen.

Crack!

The sharp sound of breaking ribs exploded beside Sarutobi Shinnosuke's ear.

His body flew away like a kite with its string cut, spinning a full 360 degrees beyond his control!

As Shinnosuke's back turned toward him, Yongye swept a hand past and silently imprinted a Flying Thunder God Mark on the back of his neck.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke noticed nothing. He flew backward and crashed heavily onto Asuma outside the door.

"Aaagh—"

Asuma let out a scream like a pig being slaughtered.

All four of his limbs were already broken, and now his brother's body had slammed into him. The pain was somehow even worse than taking another kick to the groin.

All four Anbu Ninja were down. From start to finish, it had taken less than three seconds.

Teuchi knelt behind the stove, shaking all over.

Ayame stood in the corner with both hands over her mouth, her eyes wide. She gritted her teeth and made up her mind.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke struggled off Asuma and spat out a mouthful of blood.

His chest hurt unbearably. Every movement drove his broken ribs through his flesh like knives. But his mind was clear, and he could tell Uchiha Yongye had held back.

All four ANBU had been injured, but none had been killed. Compared to Yamanaka Fū, whose head had been kicked off last night, they had gotten off incredibly lightly.

That did nothing to ease Sarutobi Shinnosuke's anger. Clutching his chest, his face twisted beneath the mask with pain and humiliation, he roared:

"Uchiha Yongye! Are you rebelling?"

Uchiha Yongye stood amid the wreckage of the ramen shop. The green flames around him slowly faded as the gates of the Eight Gates Release closed one by one.

He looked at Sarutobi Shinnosuke, a mocking smile at the corner of his mouth that only made Shinnosuke angrier.

"What's the punishment for attacking a fellow village ninja?"

His tone was aggressive, and every person present heard him clearly.

That line again.

Last night, after kicking Danzo down and slaughtering Root ninja, he had used those very words to leave Lord Hokage speechless.

Now he had said them again.

A vein throbbed at Sarutobi Shinnosuke's temple. Through gritted teeth, he said, "You beat Asuma half to death. We were angry, so we—"

"Asuma attacked a fellow village ninja. What's the punishment for that?"

Yongye cut him off, his tone growing harsher!

Sarutobi Shinnosuke opened his mouth, then turned to look at Asuma.

As the ANBU Captain, he knew Konoha's rules better than anyone. Attack a fellow village ninja without good cause, and the punishment ranged from suspension to imprisonment.

Seeing Asuma with all four limbs broken and possibly unable to be a man again had sent him into a rage. He had attacked before even asking what happened. Strictly speaking, he had broken the rules.

Holding back the agony, Asuma roared hoarsely:

"You were bullying a civilian father and daughter! You think you were in the right? Was I supposed to just let you?!"