Genma was locked in a fierce exchange with the Root jonin hidden in the shadows.
Sparks from clashing kunai kept flashing through the dim woods.
After observing for a moment, Uchiha Xin had a plan.
Although the Root jonin's attacks were fierce,
he was clearly holding back and had not used any large-scale destructive ninjutsu.
Their objective was clear: they only wanted to hold Genma back and buy the others time to capture him.
Once he confirmed that Genma's life was not in danger, Uchiha Xin immediately retraced his steps.
He returned to the scene littered with corpses.
Uchiha Xin took a deep breath and began preparing his disguise.
He drew a kunai, aimed it at his left arm, and viciously slashed a wound deep enough to expose bone.
Blood instantly gushed out.
Without so much as a frown, he added several more wounds to his thigh and back.
Once that was done, he deliberately disrupted part of the normal chakra circulation in his body, making his aura erratic.
He walked over to a Root corpse, lay faceup in the pool of blood, closed his eyes, and fully assumed the appearance of someone unconscious and gravely wounded.
About half an hour passed.
A series of urgent whistling sounds came from the distance.
Genma Shiranui landed in the clearing, looking thoroughly disheveled.
When he saw the scene before him, he felt as though lightning had struck him, his scalp tingling.
Seven Root ninja lay sprawled across the ground, all killed by a single slash to the throat.
Ichirō Kawaguchi and Shino Kobayashi were among the dead.
"What on earth happened here?"
Genma's heart pounded wildly.
He hurriedly searched among the corpses and finally found Uchiha Xin lying in a pool of blood in a corner.
"Xin!"
Genma rushed over and held a hand beneath Uchiha Xin's nose to check his breathing.
He was still breathing, but only faintly, and blood continued to seep from his wounds.
Xin was the only person at the scene still alive.
Without stopping to examine the Root corpses, Genma scooped Uchiha Xin into his arms.
He sprinted toward Konoha like a madman.
Outside the emergency room at Konoha Hospital.
Genma paced anxiously back and forth in the corridor.
The emergency room's red light finally went out, and a medical-nin wheeled a hospital bed out.
"He lost too much blood and severely depleted his chakra, but his life is no longer in danger. He needs rest."
The medical-nin spoke as he removed his mask.
Genma let out a long sigh of relief.
He immediately left the hospital and headed straight for the Hokage Building.
Inside the Hokage's office.
After hearing Genma's report, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi wore a frighteningly grim expression.
"You're saying seven Root ninja, including Kawaguchi and Kobayashi, were all killed?"
The Third set down his pipe heavily, anger flaring in his eyes.
He did not need to guess who was responsible.
Who besides that old madman Danzo would dare openly ambush and kill the village's genin outside Konoha?
Danzo, oh, Danzo. In the end, you still refuse to spare the last of the Uchiha bloodline.
The Third sighed deeply to himself.
He rose, walked to the window, and looked out at the bustling village.
For the past five years, Uchiha Xin had been training in taijutsu under Might Guy and learning the Eight Gates Released Formation.
Guy had reported to him many times that the boy was resilient and harbored no resentment toward the village.
Moreover, Xin's father had died in battle covering his comrades' escape, a true martyr of Konoha.
The Third would never allow Danzo to force a martyr's orphan with such an impeccable background into opposition to the village.
"Genma, this matter is classified as top secret. No one is to disclose it."
The Third turned around, his tone firm.
"I will handle this personally."
Three days later.
In a special care ward at Konoha Hospital.
Uchiha Xin slowly opened his eyes, feigning the dazed look of someone who had just regained consciousness.
Beside the bed, the Third Hokage stood in his ceremonial robes, looking at him kindly.
"Xin, you're awake. How are you feeling?"
The Third asked gently.
Uchiha Xin struggled to sit up, only to pull at his wounds and suck in a breath from the pain.
"Lord Hokage, I'm fine."
Uchiha Xin leaned weakly against his pillow.
"What exactly happened that day? Can you tell me in detail?"
The Third kept his gaze fixed on Uchiha Xin.
Uchiha Xin lowered his head, an expression of pain and fear appearing on his face.
"That day, Genma-sensei told us to run. We ran a long way."
"But Kawaguchi and Kobayashi suddenly attacked me. They trapped me in a water prison."
Uchiha Xin's voice trembled slightly.
"Then five masked people appeared. They wanted to capture me."
"I had no choice but to fight back with everything I had."
"I activated the Eight Gates Released Formation Uncle Guy taught me and forced my way out of the water prison."
"At that life-or-death moment, my eyes seemed to change again."
At this point, Uchiha Xin raised his head and looked straight at the Third.
His black eyes instantly turned red, three black tomoe appearing clearly before the Third.
"I relied on these eyes to see their movements clearly and killed them with a kunai."
"Then the backlash from the Eight Gates Released Formation made me pass out completely."
The Third stared at the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, deeply shocked.
Mitsudomoe at eleven.
Such talent surpassed even Uchiha Itachi's at that age.
What pleased him even more was that, in a desperate situation, the boy had first thought of the taijutsu Guy had taught him.
This showed that his bond with the village was already very deep.
"Good boy. You've suffered."
The Third reached out and stroked Uchiha Xin's hair, his voice full of reassurance.
"The village will investigate this thoroughly. Don't think about anything else right now. Just rest and recover."
After leaving the hospital, the Third immediately returned to the Hokage's office.
He promptly ordered the Anbu to summon Kakashi Hatake.
Before long, the silver-haired, masked Kakashi pushed open the door and entered.
"Lord Hokage, you wanted to see me?"
Kakashi's dead-fish eyes drooped, his tone languid.
"Kakashi, I intend to assign Uchiha Xin to your Team 7."
The Third got straight to the point.
Kakashi froze, looking utterly bewildered.
"Lord Hokage, Team 7 already has Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura."
"According to the rules, a squad can only have three genin."
The Third sighed and briefly recounted how Root had attacked Xin.
"Xin is in danger right now. He needs a powerful jonin instructor to protect him and keep certain people from interfering."
The Third stressed his words.
"Besides, Xin, Naruto, and Sasuke were classmates. They have a bond."
"Putting them together couldn't be more appropriate."
After hearing him out, Kakashi knew there was no room for negotiation and could only scratch his head helplessly.
"Understood, Lord Hokage. I'll take good care of him."
The following morning.
At Team 7's designated training ground.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura sat on the grass, waiting.
Kakashi strolled over with Uchiha Xin, whose injuries had already healed.
"Everyone, I'd like to introduce a new member today."
Kakashi gestured toward Uchiha Xin beside him.
"Starting today, Uchiha Xin is officially joining Team 7."