Ame no Tokotachi

Shin'yu looked at the Flying Thunder God Mark on his cuff and instantly understood. He... had been betrayed.

"Who are you? Answer my questions obediently." The kunai shifted slightly backward, cutting Shin'yu's skin and drawing thin trails of blood.

Shin'yu's expression turned grave. He thought of a possibility, and fury suddenly surged within him.

He forced out a flippant tone. "I'm going to the bathroom."

"Do you think I'm joking?" The voice behind him grew colder. "I originally planned to keep quiet and have the night patrol capture you after you left the building, but you were quite alert. You somehow slipped past every guard."

"Seriously, you people have to meddle even when someone needs to use the bathroom? Are the Senju born with a love for sticking their noses into everything...?" Shin'yu spouted nonsense, then suddenly slammed backward.

Yet his opponent reacted just as swiftly. A cold gleam flashed, illuminating Shin'yu's blood-red Sharingan!

The Sharingan possessed perception beyond that of ordinary people. It could not only observe the flow of Chakra, but its dynamic vision was also incredible. Shin'yu instantly saw through the kunai's trajectory. As he drove his elbow into the other man's abdomen, he quickly leaned diagonally backward!

With a sharp hiss, a line of blood sprayed from his left cheek. Yet he narrowly avoided the lethal blow, and his mask tore apart and slipped off.

He seized the chance to leap back. Chakra naturally surged into his legs, strengthening his tendons and instantly opening a wide distance between them. A faint afterimage was even left behind at his original spot.

A clear figure came into view.

The man wore a gray-blue outer robe, his silver hair drifting in the wind. His phoenix eyes were sharp and composed, his features handsome, and three dark-red face markings crossed his face. He was none other than the current Hokage's younger brother, Tobirama Senju!

Shin'yu silently clenched his fists and calmed down in an instant.

He now had two choices.

First, he could use Ame no Tokotachi in his right Mangekyo to shift through space and return to any location from within the past five minutes.

Now that he had been exposed, if he vanished so abruptly, someone as shrewd as Tobirama Senju would definitely notice his time and space ability immediately. The entire village would then go on lockdown, making escape even harder.

Moreover, Hidden Leaf Village might send out Hyuga Clan ninjas to conduct back-and-forth searches. With the Byakugan, every member of the Hyuga Clan was practically a long-range searchlight. Shin'yu had no confidence in evading their patrols.

There was also a godlike figure in the village right now. If he alarmed that person and got pinned down in the village, even Uchiha Madara would have a hard time coming in to rescue him!

That meant he could only stall the man before him, then look for a chance to leave the village. As long as he made it outside, Uchiha Madara could receive him immediately!

In that brief second, thoughts flashed through his mind. As he accepted his current situation, he immediately settled on an escape plan.

"Uchiha? So you're just a little family thief."

Tobirama coldly examined Shin'yu. "Three-Tomoe Sharingan, excellent Body Flicker Technique... I remember now. You're that Uchiha brat known for his speed? No wonder you're so nimble."

"Lord Tobirama, why are you still putting on an act at a time like this? Do you really take me for a fool?"

Shin'yu sneered as he tore off his outer robe. "My plan was originally flawless. If not for some ungrateful traitor tipping you off, you wouldn't have been here at all."

As soon as he spoke, flames ignited in his right hand, burning the night outfit and the Flying Thunder God Mark on it into ash.

Shin'yu narrowed his eyes slightly, smiling without warmth. "For you to accompany me to the bathroom so late at night, my Good Younger Brother must have informed you. It seems he really... cares about me."

"Hmph. Sharp-tongued." Tobirama glanced at the bloodstain on his kunai, his gaze flickering. "I have to admit, you're quite capable. Sneaking into a secret chamber late at night and stealing classified documents... who was behind it?"

"Lord Tobirama trained me well. All these skills of mine were learned on the battlefield back then." Shin'yu raised an eyebrow.

Tobirama gave a cold snort. "Not planning to talk? Fine. I'll make you open your mouth obediently."

"Where is my Good Younger Brother?"

"You should worry about yourself first. Hand over the secret scroll and come back to prison with me! Then I might spare your life."

"Sorry, I'm not interested." Shin'yu gently shook his head. "I'm leaving Hidden Leaf Village. From now on, we'll have nothing to do with each other."

"Arrogant. What do you think Hidden Leaf Village is? A place you can come and go as you please?" Tobirama sneered. "There are actually people imitating someone like Madara!"

"Lord Tobirama, are you going to stop me?"

"Hmph. I don't need to deal with you personally."

The moment he spoke, figures darted out from all around. Within seconds, more than twenty Senju Ninja surrounded Shin'yu from every direction.

Amid a dense rush of footsteps, Shin'yu's gaze froze. He turned toward the Hidden Leaf Village Entrance behind him, where many shadowy figures emerged. They wore identical clothing, and beneath the faint moonlight, pairs of blood-red eyes watched him coldly.

Uchiha!

"Brother!" A small figure squeezed out from the crowd of the Senju Clan.

Uchiha Kagami!

He called out to Shin'yu, "Don't remain stubborn! You... you must have been misled by Lord Madara, right?"

"Me? Stubborn?"

Shin'yu glared furiously at his Younger Brother, as though flames were burning in his eyes. "You traitor! You've been sold out and you're still helping them count the money. Have you forgotten how our Parents died?!"

"Hatred never ends. If we keep letting hatred spread, the hard-won peace we have now will also collapse!" Tears glimmered in Uchiha Kagami's eyes. "Lord Madara has already defected from the village. You can't keep making mistake after mistake!"

"HAHAHAHA!" Shin'yu laughed in rage, his fists cracking as he clenched them. "Who exactly betrayed whom now?!"

"I'm sorry, Brother. I really wanted to stop you, but I knew I wasn't your match, so I had no choice but to..."

Kagami's voice trembled as tears welled in his eyes. "But don't worry. I've already spoken to Lord Tobirama. As long as you obey the arrangements, you'll be released before long. Then we can live together in Hidden Leaf Village. Wouldn't that be good?"

"So I should thank you?!" Shin'yu trembled all over with rage, the Red Light in his eyes growing deeper and deeper.

"Brother!"

"Shut up!"

Shin'yu took a deep breath and sneered. "Luckily... I knew long ago that you were an ungrateful traitor. That's why I didn't tell you everything..."

Tobirama watched Shin'yu expressionlessly, then impatiently flicked his hand. "Take him down!"

The ninjas were about to move when a powerful aura suddenly erupted from Shin'yu's body!

Dark and oppressive Chakra overflowed from his body, like a blazing inferno, yet cold enough to pierce the bone.

Under Tobirama's shocked gaze, Shin'yu slowly raised his head. His black hair moved without wind, the tomoe in his Eyes intertwining and twisting as gorgeous Ink-colored patterns spread across his blood-red pupils!

"This is... the Mangekyo Sharingan!" Even Tobirama could not help but shudder beneath that gaze.

"No, this brat is beyond saving. He must be executed on the spot!" Tobirama immediately formed a Hand Seal without the slightest hesitation. "I absolutely cannot allow him to become the next Madara!"

Water Release: Water Severing Wave!

Tobirama's attack was decisive and ruthless. A thick stream of water burst forth like a blade leaving its sheath, slicing Shin'yu's body in half at the waist with a wet splat!

Blood dyed the water red, like a massive red spider lily blooming within it.

"Brother!" Uchiha Kagami collapsed to the ground, heartbroken. "It shouldn't be like this... it shouldn't be like this..."

Under the clear moonlight, Shin'yu's body seemed to distort for an instant. His blood spiraled, his limbs reconnected, and he was somehow standing there completely unharmed!

"What?! Could it be... Izanagi?" Tobirama's eyes were full of disbelief, yet Shin'yu's Eyes were perfectly intact, without the slightest abnormality.

Without waiting for him to speak, three ninjas instantly pounced on Shin'yu.

Shin'yu fought with extreme brutality. Unlike a ninja's usual fighting style, he was more like a beast unafraid of death, completely at odds with his harmless appearance!

A Blade Light slashed at him head-on, yet he neither dodged nor evaded. Instead, he struck the blade with the edge of his palm, allowing the long sword to chop into his right shoulder!

Ignoring the spraying blood, he drove a flying knee viciously into his enemy's chin. The instant the man lost consciousness, Shin'yu circled behind him and cleanly snapped his neck.

Whoosh!

A fierce Blade Light slashed diagonally toward him from behind. Shin'yu raised his eyes as though he had noticed it in advance. He vanished and appeared behind the attacker at the same time, chopping his Palm Blade down onto the man's wrist and instantly cutting off the Blade Light.

The man involuntarily loosened his fingers, and Shin'yu smoothly took the long sword from his hand before spinning and driving it into the man's back.

At that very moment, a cold Short Sword emerged from Shin'yu's chest, making him cough up a mouthful of blood.

"Die!" The last man was from the Uchiha Clan. Relying on the Sharingan's powerful perception, he had seized the opening behind Shin'yu.

"Why?"

"Why are you attacking me?" Shin'yu turned his body shakily, ignoring the piercing pain in his chest as though he wanted to see the man's face clearly.

The Uchiha ninja revealed a mocking expression. "Hmph. Uchiha is already part of Hidden Leaf Village. A black sheep like you, stubborn to the end, cannot be allowed to live!"

Shin'yu reached out and gripped the man's shoulder. His beastlike, icy gaze made the man shudder in fear!

"Serving your enemies to the death—you deserve to die!"

Shin'yu lifted his gaze, Red Light shining from his Mangekyo Sharingan. "Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique!"

Seizing the chance, he reversed the long sword and thrust it directly into the man's throat. With a squelch, blood gushed out!

Shin'yu pulled out the sword. The gear-like pattern in his right eye turned slightly, and his body eerily returned to normal. The Short Sword that had pierced his chest fell to the ground with a clang, and even his clothes were as neat as new.

This reality-defying scene made every ninja's hair stand on end.

"Impossible! Can't this guy be killed?!"

"Damn it, what kind of regeneration is that?!"

Tobirama narrowed his eyes slightly and raised the kunai that had cut Shin'yu earlier. To his surprise, he discovered that the bloodstain on it had vanished.

"It isn't simple regeneration..."

He brought his Hands together. Water molecules in the air rapidly increased, and the surroundings visibly grew damp. In the blink of an eye, an enormous torrent of water surged into existence!

Water Release: Water Surge!

The water spun like a tornado. Shin'yu was caught off guard, one arm becoming trapped before his entire body was dragged inside.

Though it lasted only an instant, Tobirama still keenly noticed that at the moment Shin'yu was swept into the water, the Mangekyo in his left pupil rotated lightly, like a clock keeping time.

With a furious roar from the leading Senju Ninja, countless kunai and Shuriken swarmed forward. Water splashed everywhere, and amid a barrage of thuds and smacks, the water tornado drank blood and rapidly turned red before everyone's eyes.

After roughly three to five breaths, the water dispersed. Shin'yu slowly rose from the ground, his blood-red eyes flickering with ghostly Light beneath the cold moonlight.

No one could believe their eyes. The youth was still completely unharmed, and even the blood had vanished without a trace, as though everything that had just happened had been an illusion.