The supply raid was underway (2)

Of course, there was no helping it. Those were the rules. If you didn't trade a few threats before a fight, you were just some nameless lackey without any lines.

So Chihane decided to give them an answer. He looked at their leader, Kakkō, and shouted, "You're surrounded! Don't resist, or you'll die! Heh heh!"

He had been all smiles at first, but his tone grew colder toward the end. The chilly laugh he gave afterward, baring a few white teeth, made him look especially sinister.

"You bastard! Who do you think you're facing, brat? How dare you talk to me like that!"

Mahiru, the most hotheaded of the four Iwa Shinobi Jonin, couldn't take Chihane's words anymore. He drew the katana from his back and charged in fury.

"Leave him to me."

Seeing that Mahiru was also skilled in swordsmanship, Chihane was eager to test himself against him. He said a word to Uchiha Fugaku, then drew his own swords and charged.

Battles between Jonin were just that straightforward. Everyone soon found their opponent.

Uchiha Fugaku used the Uchiha Clan's signature Shurikenjutsu to cut off Kakkō's retreat. At the same time, he unleashed the clan's unique Sharingan Genjutsu, dragging Kakkō into an illusory realm to fight the instant he dodged.

"The Uchiha Clan?"

Kakkō stared at Uchiha Fugaku's Sharingan in surprise. The Uchiha Clan was widely recognized as a powerful clan, but ever since Konoha's founding, they had handled police duties within the village and rarely ventured outside.

Encountering an Elite Jonin from the Uchiha Clan here gave him a bad feeling. Had the Uchiha Clan joined the war? This was bad news. I need to notify Kitsuchi as soon as possible so he can prepare.

Nearby, Uchiha Izumi faced the Iwa Shinobi Jonin Taiseki, but ran into trouble almost as soon as they exchanged blows. Taiseki used his signature Ninjutsu, "Ninja Art! Camouflage Concealment!" and vanished before Izumi's eyes like a chameleon, leaving him on the defensive.

The last of them, Uchiha Kōtan, faced the Iwa Shinobi Special Jōnin Sumashi. His fight was probably the easiest. His Sharingan Genjutsu countered Sumashi perfectly. For Sumashi, who specialized only in Earth Release, running into a Genjutsu-focused Jonin was the worst possible luck.

All he could do was get caught in Genjutsu, break free, get injured, then get caught, break free, and get injured again. The cycle went on endlessly.

Meanwhile, facing Mahiru, a fellow swordsman, Chihane brought his strengths fully into play. His three swords crossed and alternated, leaving Mahiru utterly unable to fight back.

"Impossible! How can he be so strong?"

The moment Mahiru exchanged blows with Chihane, the collision of their weapons nearly numbed the web of his hand and sent his Ninja Blade flying out of his grip. He couldn't help marveling inwardly.

Fortunately, his wealth of combat experience let him twist sideways in time to deflect most of the force. But he knew he couldn't keep meeting Chihane head-on. He had to teach this boy that ninja combat involved more than Taijutsu-there was Ninjutsu, too.

"Shadow Clone Technique!"

Facing Chihane's overwhelming assault, Mahiru quickly clashed with him once more, then used the force of Chihane's strike to leap backward. His hands rapidly formed hand seals, summoning three shadow clones that attacked Chihane alongside him, Ninja Blades in hand.

"Three-Sword Style! Tornado!"

Facing the four Mahirus around him, Chihane smiled inwardly. Bring as many swordsmen as you like-it makes no difference! He spun at tremendous speed, unleashing slashes in every direction.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

With three muffled bangs, the three shadow clones burst into clouds of smoke the instant Chihane cut them. Even Mahiru, caught off guard, suffered a cut to his arm.

Chihane gave Mahiru no further chance to use Ninjutsu. He activated Lightning Release Chakra Mode, strengthening his leg muscles, and closed in at blinding speed to launch a ferocious assault.

"Three-Sword Style! Oni Giri!"

Keeping Mahiru pinned down, Chihane seized the instant he dodged an attack and unleashed Oni Giri. The two famous swords in his hands trapped Mahiru's weapon, while Wado Ichimonji, clenched between his teeth, slashed down at Mahiru from above.

Mahiru reacted decisively to Chihane's slash. He released his Ninja Blade and used the Body Flicker Technique, trying to escape Chihane's reach.

But was Chihane's slash that easy to dodge? All the effort he had poured into training his swing speed was now paying off in full!

Splurt!

The long blade sliced into flesh. Despite Mahiru's desperate attempt to dodge, Chihane's sword still struck him. Wado Ichimonji, wreathed in Haki, cleaved viciously down from Mahiru's shoulder, splitting him in two.

The unfortunate Iwa Shinobi Elite Jonin, one of his village's few core fighting assets, died on a supply run.

Against an ordinary Elite Jonin, Chihane might not have won so easily. And if Uchiha Fugaku had been the one facing Mahiru instead...

He would probably have ended up fleeing from Mahiru's blade. After all, Uchiha Fugaku specialized in Genjutsu and Fire Release, leaving him at a clear disadvantage against a close-combat ninja skilled in clone techniques.

But for Chihane, a ninja who had reached the rank of Elite Jonin through swordsmanship alone was someone he could cut down, no matter how many came at him. It was complete domination in terms of swordsmanship.

One glance told Chihane what Mahiru intended to do and where his next slash would come from. Add two extra swords and far greater strength, and dealing with this kind of sword-wielding ninja was child's play.

Chihane surveyed the battlefield and saw Uchiha Fugaku and Kakkō still locked in a staring contest, battling through Genjutsu.

Sumashi was likewise engaged in a Genjutsu battle with Uchiha Kōtan. But judging by the blood at the corner of his mouth, Uchiha Kōtan would clearly win even without Chihane stepping in.

On the other side, however, Uchiha Izumi had been forced entirely onto the defensive. Against the Iwa Shinobi Elite Jonin Taiseki, he had no answer at all and could only endure his attacks.

Taiseki's Ninja Blade had already left several wounds on his body. The deepest was on his back, where stark white bone could be glimpsed as Uchiha Izumi dodged. His movements had also noticeably slowed!

Clearly, if help didn't reach him soon, Uchiha Izumi wouldn't last much longer.

Taiseki was patiently waiting for Uchiha Izumi to expose an opening so he could kill him outright. He hadn't noticed that Chihane had already killed Mahiru, nor would he have imagined that an Elite Jonin of Mahiru's caliber could die so easily.

At last, his chance came. The instant Uchiha Izumi threw shuriken in every direction, clearly trying to force him to reveal himself, Taiseki appeared behind him and thrust his Ninja Blade toward his heart.

Just before the blade struck home, Taiseki suddenly sensed death approaching. That uncanny sixth sense had saved him countless times throughout his career.

Without a second thought, Taiseki abandoned his chance to kill Uchiha Izumi and swiftly dodged to the side. After all, he only had one life.