A terrifying opponent

Madara Uchiha ignored Shinhiko Kōzuki's attempt to speak to him, because the enemy's attack had already begun.

Madara Uchiha hurled a kunai. It traced a graceful arc through the air, then pinned a pink, fleshy worm straight to a tree.

"Screee! Screee! Screee!"

The fleshy worm pinned to the tree was about the size of a palm, with numerous sharp fangs protruding from its abdomen. It was not dead yet, and spent what little life it had left screeching in agony. Though it no longer posed a threat to Shinhiko Kōzuki and the others, watching such a disgusting, horrifying creature struggle before their eyes made even Shinhiko Kōzuki feel sick.

"W-what is that thing?"

The samurai serving under Shinhiko Kōzuki now had some idea of what could have made their fearless companions scream so horribly. If they were bitten by such disgusting, terrifying insects, they really would have been better off dead.

Bloodsucking Worms were one of the unusual insects bred by Konoha's Aburame Clan. Unlike kikaichū, which could live directly inside a ninja's body, these Bloodsucking Worms had to be deployed in advance by members of the Aburame Clan. But since Shimura Danzō had already sent his subordinates, it was hardly surprising that members of the Aburame Clan, which had close ties to Root, were among them. In fact, the person controlling these fleshy worms might well have been near Shinhiko Kōzuki from the very beginning.

During the Warring States Period, when clans operated as individual units, even a clan as powerful as the Uchiha Clan had opponents they would rather not face. In Madara Uchiha's eyes, the Aburame Clan was even more troublesome than the Senju Clan. After all, when he encountered the Senju Clan, even if his mission failed, he could still enjoy a satisfying battle with