Assassination

"Hey, isn't that the legendary Sharingan Hero Kakashi?"

"What Sharingan Hero? He's Cold-Blooded Kakashi!"

"He actually attacked the medical ninja in his own squad. That's seriously too much!"

The ANBU ninja led the way ahead while Mitaraishi Anko and the other two girls whispered among themselves.

Uchiha Yuan was not surprised by this at all.

With that short silver hair, any ninja could easily recognize Kakashi.

Kakashi being here means that not only Root, but also the ANBU under the Third Hokage are involved in this operation.

The village higher-ups really value sealing the Three-Tails. That makes sense, though. Weakening the Hidden Mist Village would ensure stability in the rear for a while.

The Hidden Leaf Village really is being battered by storms.

While his mind churned with thoughts, the ANBU had already arranged accommodations for Mitaraishi Anko, Hyuga Ryo, and Kurama Shion.

The three girls were staying together in a concealed Water Curtain Cave. Just as Uchiha Yuan intended to leave with them—

The ANBU stopped him.

"Your temporary lodging has been arranged elsewhere. Please follow me."

When carrying out missions abroad, the Sannin likewise had the authority to mobilize and command ANBU.

Uchiha Yuan figured Orochimaru had probably already spoken with Danzo and arranged separate quarters for him, making it easier for him to practice the Spiritualisation Technique.

This ANBU was merely following orders.

The atmosphere was stifling along the way. The ANBU ninja leaped over the uneven terrain ahead, while Uchiha Yuan's thoughts drifted.

Orochimaru had ordered him to practice the Spiritualisation Technique as a surprise trump card. He likely had no intention of letting him get involved in a direct conflict with the Hidden Mist Village too early.

In other words, for the coming days, all he needed to do was act as though he were practicing the Spiritualisation Technique and keep his progress under control so it would not be exposed.

Thinking this, Uchiha Yuan began rapidly reviewing the process of learning the Spiritualisation Technique in his mind over and over.

Over the next few days, not only Orochimaru, but likely even Danzo would be paying close attention to his training progress.

If he wanted to deceive those seasoned Hidden Leaf Village ninjas, Uchiha Yuan had to perfectly control the entire training process.

Otherwise, if news that he had already mastered the Spiritualisation Technique got out, who knew whether the Mad Snake and the Darkness of the Ninja World would hold him accountable, or assign him even crazier missions.

"This is the resting place specially prepared for you. Unless necessary, do not move about freely. Stay here and await further orders."

The ANBU stopped before an underground cave. After explaining, he vanished with the Body Flicker Technique.

Only then did Uchiha Yuan finally relax and let out a long breath.

Ninjas being able to stay in hotels, soak in hot springs, and eat lavish meals during missions was treatment from the peaceful era more than a decade later.

In this chaotic age, having a place that sheltered him from wind and rain was already good enough.

He did not complain. He entered the depths of the cave, cleaned it up and removed the insects, then sat cross-legged on the stone bed.

At present, Uchiha Yuan did not know how he would be involved in the mission to seal the Three-Tails. In any case, until Orochimaru conveyed further arrangements, he only needed to act as though he were practicing the Spiritualisation Technique.

Breathing evenly, Uchiha Yuan sank into thought.

In truth, aside from that half portion of Yin Nine-Tails Chakra, he was also interested in the Three-Tails' chakra.

After fusing with the Golem Genes, even though the Demonic Statue Fragment had devoured only a tiny bit of Nine-Tails Chakra, the abilities it synchronized to him had still improved slightly.

Isobu, the Three-Tails, possessed Water and Wind nature chakra. It even had the rare Kekkei Genkai, Ice Release, and the thick mist it spewed possessed an incredibly powerful hallucinatory effect.

If the Demonic Statue Fragment could devour even a little Three-Tails Chakra, then after synchronization, Uchiha Yuan believed the power of the Water Release and genjutsu he had mastered would improve again.

Water Style: Water Severing Wave and Bringer-of-Darkness Technique!

Other than the Spiritualisation Technique, those were among the few instant-kill Combination Ninjutsu he possessed.

But the mission to seal the Three-Tails was bound to be fraught with danger.

When the time came, even if he appeared at the scene as a Soul Body immune to most forms of damage, Uchiha Yuan had no idea what he could do. He could only wait and see, adapting to circumstances...

Just as Uchiha Yuan calmed his mind and considered the future, the Mountain Cave quietly grew cold and sinister.

When he opened his eyes, the black tip of a kunai blade swept past his neck in the corner of his vision.

Though he felt no pain, Uchiha Yuan's heart leaped into his throat.

Having rarely carried out missions, it was his first time encountering an assassination—or rather, a threat.

For a moment, Uchiha Yuan could only force himself to control his ragged breathing and calm down first.

"You're from the Uchiha Clan, right? Come with me."

Being ambushed and threatened at a Hidden Leaf Village ninja stronghold... Uchiha Yuan's mind instantly began racing.

The other party had not tried to kill him and was even quite certain that he belonged to the Uchiha Clan.

Was it the clan crest on my clothes? No! I changed into ordinary ninja attire for this mission long ago.

Was it the ANBU who arranged my lodging? Only he could possibly know my information.

What does this ANBU want? Is he a Hidden Leaf Village ninja, or a Hidden Mist Village ninja who infiltrated after obtaining intelligence?

Could he be trying to obtain my Sharingan?

As thoughts flashed through his mind, Uchiha Yuan had already completed his Hand Seals.

In less than a breath, the ninja tasked with assassinating him did not even have time to stop him.

Most importantly, Uchiha Yuan had formed the seals for the Spiritualisation Technique. This S-rank Forbidden Jutsu was exceptionally difficult to learn, but its Hand Seals were simple.

In the silent underground cave, Uchiha Yuan's soul had already floated out of his body, while the Assassin's hand chop intended to knock him unconscious had not yet fallen.

The Assassin's chakra feels... familiar?!

Everything around him gave off extraordinarily subtle sensations under the perception of his soul state.

After swiftly analyzing the Assassin's chakra, Uchiha Yuan discovered another cluster of chakra at his twelve o'clock position, identical to the Assassin's.

Shadow Clone Technique? He really is cautious.

Only then did the Assassin realize that Uchiha Yuan's soul had left his body. He was an experienced ninja and knew resistance was hopeless, so he immediately dispelled the Shadow Clone with a poof.

After receiving the information, the original body rapidly retreated without looking back.

But in the silent Mountain Cave, Uchiha Yuan's soul had already vanished.

Half a minute later, a ninja wearing a Hidden Mist Anbu mask entered the Mountain Cave.

He muttered to himself, yet the voice clearly belonged to Uchiha Yuan.

The chakra of the Hidden Leaf Village ninjas nearby is all calm. Did they fail to notice this assassination, or were they warned beforehand?

Now that he had taken over the Assassin's body, Uchiha Yuan began browsing the other party's memories without the slightest courtesy.

Unfortunately, either this ANBU member's memories had been restricted by a Forbidden Jutsu, or Uchiha Yuan had not mastered the techniques for interrogating and examining memories.

Again and again, he saw only scenes of Konoha Hidden Village and Sea Country.

A Hidden Leaf Village ninja? Was this arranged by Danzo?!

Inside the underground cave, the "Assassin" suddenly clenched his fist, revealing Uchiha Yuan's fury.