Sharingan Evolution

However, because the shuriken had lost much of their momentum after colliding in midair, the Suna Special Jonin easily dodged them.

"Brat..."

"Fang Dance!"

Before the Suna Special Jonin could reply, Inuzuka Ryo and Tetsu Maru transformed into a whirlwind and charged forward together.

But the Sand Ninja was no weakling either. He spun aside to evade, drew the ninja blade from his back, blew a breath over it, then slashed fiercely at Inuzuka Ryo.

"Wind Style: Vacuum Slash!"

"Uchiha Style: Lightning Cloud Cutter!"

Meikyō charged in from the side just in time, raising his blade to block the Sand Ninja's attack.

But the opponent was clearly stronger than him. The force of that strike still put Meikyō at a slight disadvantage.

"Secret Technique: Kikaichū."

Aburame Nami raised one sleeve, releasing swarms of flying insects that surged toward the enemy.

Seeing this, the Sand Ninja tried to break away. He lifted his leg, intending to kick Meikyō away so he could dodge freely.

With the Sharingan's perception, Meikyō had already noticed the opponent's movement. But he was too slow to evade, so he could only extend his own leg and meet the kick head-on.

In the end, both of them were driven backward by the force, and they formed hand seals at the same time to unleash ninjutsu.

"Ninja Art: Wind Sand Formation!"

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Style!"

A fierce gale collided with an orange fireball in that instant, while Aburame Nami's insects were swept away by the Wind Style and unable to approach the enemy.

"The enemy is... an expert who has mastered Wind-nature Chakra!"

The instant his Great Fireball began to lose ground, Meikyō made his judgment.

If he had not trained so hard in Fire Style before, making tremendous progress despite failing to master nature transformation, and if Fire Style did not restrain Wind Style, he would have been overwhelmed immediately.

Even so, Meikyō gradually fell into a disadvantage in their ninjutsu clash.

Fortunately, he was not fighting alone.

With Meikyō's help, Inuzuka Ryo avoided the Vacuum Slash, then immediately activated Beast Clone together with Tetsu Maru, stacking themselves one atop the other.

As they charged toward the Sand Ninja, their forms transformed into a massive two-headed wolf.

"Inuzuka Clan Human-Beast Combination Transformation: Two-Headed Wolf!"

The giant two-headed wolf charged through the gale and heat. Sharp Wind Style blades carved wounds across its body, yet it continued forward without hesitation, lunging to tear into its enemy.

Seeing this, the Suna Special Jonin had no choice but to stop maintaining his ninjutsu and flash aside.

Uchiha Meikyō was far too strong. Judging from their earlier exchanges, he ranked among the very best even among all Chunin. Inuzuka Ryo's current state also looked formidable, but he was certain such a powerful technique could not last long.

Better to kill the female ninja from the Aburame Clan first, whose insects were restrained by his Wind Style. Then he could stall until Inuzuka Ryo's state ended and deal with him, before finally taking care of that troublesome Uchiha brat.

"Ah, are you planning to use me as your breakthrough point?"

Aburame Nami tilted her head as she watched the Sand Ninja charge toward her.

"Still, I know a little Wind Style too. I'm not very good at it, but without Wind Style, I wouldn't have been able to learn this technique."

Immediately afterward, swarms of Kikaichū flew from both of Aburame Nami's sleeves, forming a tornado made of insects around her.

At the same time, insects burrowed up from underground and joined the swarm.

Soil was naturally an insect habitat. Though spring's chill still lingered, rain fell across the Land of Rain, and the temperature was unsuitable, under the effects of Chakra, the muddy ground beneath their feet remained a fertile breeding ground for insects.

In an instant, the Sand Ninja was trapped within the insect tornado. It looked like breaking through with Wind Style would take him some time.

"Yosh, Nami, nicely done!"

Inuzuka Ryo and Tetsu Maru released the chakra-consuming Two-Headed Wolf transformation and gave Aburame Nami a thumbs-up.

These were all the results of their hard training during this time.

"Next, it's time to deal with this troublesome bastard!"

Meikyō looked at the insect tornado before him and silently raised his wakizashi.

"Nami, I need you to control the insects and spread them apart when I attack. My Sharingan can seize the opportunity for the final blow."

Aburame Nami looked at Uchiha Meikyō and nodded.

Meikyō slowly raised his wakizashi over his head, took a deep breath, and then...

"Uchiha Style: Sword Leap Flame!"

With the sound of the blade tearing through the air, a massive crimson sword wave of fire howled toward the swarm.

At that moment, Aburame Nami abruptly controlled the insects, scattering them apart.

Hearing the movement behind him, the Sand Ninja hurriedly turned around. Grimacing through clenched teeth at the flaming sword wave before him, he held his blade horizontally in front of himself, attempting one final defense.

Yet the next moment—

The Sand Ninja did not feel the attack arrive.

Instead, Meikyō and the other two stood on high alert.

Because another ninja wearing a Sunagakure Jonin Vest stood before them.

"Damn it!"

Meikyō gritted his teeth as he stared at the man who had ruined their chance.

From the way this man had just helped the other Sand Ninja block the attack, it was clear that he was a genuine Jonin, with strength that carried no falsehood whatsoever—not someone at the level of the Special Jonin they had just faced.

But on the battlefield, no one cared who you were. Anyone could end up facing an enemy Jonin; age and ninja rank changed nothing.

"You nearly lost your life to three brats. How embarrassing."

The Suna Jonin silently glanced at his companion, then turned back toward Meikyō and the others with a cruel smile. His figure vanished in an instant, reappearing before Meikyō as he swung his blade down.

"Damn it..."

Uchiha Meikyō's face went pale with shock.

His Single Tomoe Sharingan could barely track the Jonin's movements, but his body simply could not react quickly enough.

After barely lasting a dozen exchanges, the Suna Jonin kicked the wakizashi from his hand, then kicked him to the ground.

At the same time, Inuzuka Ryo and Aburame Nami were tightly entangled by the Special Jonin.

"Farewell, young Uchiha."

A cruel smile spread across the Suna Jonin's face. Looking down at Meikyō, who lay on the ground clutching his chest, he raised his ninja blade high.

At the brink of life and death, the Single Tomoe in Uchiha Meikyō's eyes spun rapidly, gradually leaving faint afterimages—until another tomoe appeared...