Fūma Shuriken

After being intercepted by ninja from the Fuma Clan, Kagami could only use the Body Flicker Technique to evade their first attempt to grab him, then sprint through the forest in this neutral zone.

The sharp snap of branches being trampled came from behind him, but his pursuers were in no hurry to catch him. They followed at a leisurely pace, like cats chasing a mouse.

Two Fuma ninja pursued him, taking turns unleashing Wind Release to force him to keep changing direction.

A blade of wind skimmed past Kagami's ear, slicing off a few strands of curly hair and leaving a shallow, bloody cut on his earlobe.

Kagami had mastered the Body Flicker Technique better than anyone his age. It was the only escape technique he could rely on.

Every time he flickered away to put distance between them, every time he used a tree trunk to change direction, he was already pushing the limits of what someone his age could do.

But no matter how refined a six-year-old's Body Flicker Technique was, to an adult ninja, he was no different from a slightly more nimble squirrel.

He wasn't fast enough, and he couldn't go far enough. Still only a child, Kagami would soon exhaust his chakra.

"This brat's pretty good at the Body Flicker Technique."

The Fuma ninja on the left casually flicked out two wind blades, blocking Kagami's escape route to the right. Forced to twist his waist and change direction in midair, he crashed into a patch of bushes.

"He's Uchiha Clan stock. Of course he's got some talent," the other Fuma ninja replied lazily. "But he's too young. He probably hasn't awakened his eyes yet."

"Who says? The Uchiha awaken their eyes through emotion. Torture him a little, and they might awaken."

The brief exchange was followed by chilling laughter.

"Break his arms and legs, then torture him slowly until his eyes awaken. Bringing back a pair of Sharingan is worth more than killing a hundred Genin."

As Kagami listened, his terror reached its peak. Nausea churned in his stomach and lodged in his throat, and he nearly vomited.

Body Flicker Technique!

Body Flicker Technique!

Body Flicker Technique!

All he could do was keep flickering away to widen the gap, but he could feel his strength dwindling, and he had never truly shaken off the footsteps behind him.

Then, in the very next instant, his footing gave way. A root jutting across his path caught his ankle.

Thud!

He tumbled through the air, branches, leaves, and bits of dirt striking his face as he fell from the tree.

He struggled to get up, but his left leg had twisted badly during the tumble, and a piercing pain shot through his ankle.

How could I twist my ankle at a time like this!

The fear of death instantly engulfed Kagami.

The two Fuma ninja landed lightly in front of him.

"Be good, and we won't hurt you." One of them already wore a smug expression.

"What are you talking about? How are we supposed to get his Sharingan if we don't torture him until he goes mad?" The other ninja crouched and reached out to seize Kagami by the neck.

Kagami closed his eyes in despair. Was this where I was going to die?

Just then, an abrupt ripping sound rang out above his head.

Kagami's eyes flew open, only for a burst of blood to splatter all over his face.

The standing ninja's head had abruptly separated from his neck, and blood was spraying from his carotid arteries.

The headless body swayed before him, then toppled forward and crashed to the ground.

W-what happened? Drenched in blood from head to toe, Kagami had yet to recover from the threat of death when he was confronted with his enemy's sudden demise.

Only then did the other Fuma ninja react to the abrupt turn of events. He spun around, instantly on guard. "Who's there!"

Standing before him, however, was a tiny child from the Uchiha Clan.

The child held a single blade of a Fūma Shuriken taller than his entire body, his eyes filled with a killing intent no one his age should have possessed.

"Get your filthy hand off him," Setsuna said coldly.

"N-no way-" The Fuma ninja's eyes widened, and he instinctively stepped back half a pace.

"How could a child have that kind of strength?!"

Indeed, an ordinary five-year-old would have struggled just to pick this thing up off the ground.

But Setsuna was not only a five-and-a-half-year-old with level-two physical strength. He was also a seasoned veteran, honed through countless battles in the arena.

You think you can compare to me?

He gripped the shuriken's handle with both hands, holding its blade across his body. His one-tomoe Sharingan glowed scarlet.

There was no fear in those eyes, only a gaze so calm it bordered on cold-blooded.

"You think you're here to save him?" Once the Fuma ninja confirmed that Setsuna really was just a child, his body slowly relaxed, and his mouth spread into a grin.

To him, his companion's death had merely been the result of carelessness. Even ten children this age would be easy prey for an experienced ninja.

After all, height, weight, strength, experience, and confidence spoke for themselves. In which of those did an adult not utterly overwhelm a child?

He grabbed Kagami by the neck, tightening all five fingers and clamping the six-year-old's throat firmly in his palm.

Kagami let out a muffled, choking groan. His legs instinctively kicked twice, but his strength had long since run out. His feeble kicks could not even reach the Fuma ninja's knee.

An amused look crossed his face. "Just because you managed a successful sneak attack..."

He tightened his fingers, and Kagami's lips began to turn purple.

"...doesn't mean you're a match for me."

He pointed at himself with his thumb. "Open your eyes and take a good look. You're just a child, and I'm an adult ninja. I'm ten times stronger than you."

An ugly, mocking laugh rose from his throat as he said smugly, "Perfect. Now I can get two pairs of Sharingan. Pure profit."

Setsuna was not shaken in the slightest by his words. In the arena, every one of those overpowered ninja had dwarfed him, a C-rank ninja, in both age and build. Thinking age and height alone guaranteed victory was laughable.

He sneered. "I may be a C-rank ninja, but you're an extra who doesn't even have a name."