Assassination

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

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

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

As the ANBU Ninja led the way ahead, Mitaraishi Anko and the other two girls discussed it in low voices.

Uchiha Yuan was not surprised by this at all.

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

Kakashi being here means it isn't just Root. The ANBU under the Third Hokage are involved in this operation too.

The village's higher-ups really do place great importance on sealing the Three-Tails. That makes sense—after weakening the Hidden Mist Village, they could ensure stability on the rear front for a while.

The Hidden Leaf Village really is beset by storms.

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

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

The ANBU stopped him.

"Your temporary residence has been arranged elsewhere. Please come with me."

When carrying out missions outside the village, the Sannin likewise had the authority to command and deploy the ANBU.

Uchiha Yuan figured that Orochimaru had probably coordinated with Danzo long ago and arranged separate accommodations for him, making it easier for him to practice the Spiritualisation Technique.

This ANBU was merely following orders.

The atmosphere remained oppressive along the way. As the ANBU Ninja leapt over the uneven terrain ahead, Uchiha Yuan's thoughts wandered.

Orochimaru had ordered him to practice the Spiritualisation Technique as a hidden trump card. He probably had no intention of letting him become involved in a direct confrontation with the Hidden Mist Village too early.

In other words, for the next few days, all he had to do was put on a convincing show of practicing the Spiritualisation Technique and keep his progress under control to avoid exposure.

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

Over the next few days, not only Orochimaru, but likely Danzo as well, would be watching his progress closely.

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

Otherwise, once word got out that he had already mastered the Spiritualisation Technique, who knew whether that 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 in a Body Flicker.

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

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

In this chaotic age, having a place to sleep that sheltered one from the wind and rain was already good enough.

He did not complain. After entering the depths of the cave and doing a simple cleaning to get rid of insects, he sat cross-legged on the Stone Bed.

At present, Uchiha Yuan had no idea how he would be involved in the mission to seal the Three-Tails. In any case, before Orochimaru conveyed further arrangements, he only needed to act as though he were practicing the Spiritualisation Technique.

As he breathed steadily, Uchiha Yuan sank into thought.

In truth, aside from that half of the 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 the tiniest bit of Nine-Tails Chakra, the abilities synchronized to him had all improved slightly.

And Isobu, the Three-Tails, possessed Water and Wind chakra natures. It even had the rare Kekkei Genkai, Ice Release, while the dense mist it exhaled had powerful hallucinogenic effects.

If the Demonic Statue Fragment could devour even a small amount of Three-Tails Chakra, then after synchronization, Uchiha Yuan believed that the power of the Water Style and genjutsu he had mastered would improve once more.

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

These were among the few instant-kill Combination Ninjutsu he possessed besides the Spiritualisation Technique.

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 damage, Uchiha Yuan did not know what exactly he could do. He could only wait and see, then adapt to the situation...

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

Opening his eyes, he caught a glimpse of a black kunai blade sweeping across his neck.

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

Having rarely carried out missions, this was the first time he had encountered 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, aren't you? Come with me."

Being ambushed and threatened at a Hidden Leaf Village ninja base... Uchiha Yuan's mind sprang into action.

The other party had not gone for the kill 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 accommodations? 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 these thoughts raced through his mind, Uchiha Yuan had already completed his Hand Seals.

In less than a breath, the ninja responsible for the assassination did not even have time to stop him.

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

In the silent underground cave, Uchiha Yuan's soul had already drifted out of his body, while the Assassin's stunning chop had yet to fall.

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

Everything around him produced extremely subtle sensations under the perception of his soul state.

After quickly analyzing the Assassin's chakra, Uchiha Yuan discovered another mass of chakra at his twelve o'clock direction identical to the Assassin's.

A 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 futile, so with a bang, he dismissed the Shadow Clone on the spot.

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

Yet in the silent Mountain Cave, Uchiha Yuan's soul had long since disappeared.

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

He muttered to himself, but the voice was unmistakably Uchiha Yuan's.

The chakra of the Hidden Leaf Village ninjas nearby is all calm. They didn't notice this assassination, or were they warned in advance?

Now that he had taken possession of the Assassin's body, Uchiha Yuan unceremoniously began searching through the other man's memories.

Unfortunately, whether because this ANBU member's memories had been restricted by a Forbidden Jutsu or because Uchiha Yuan had not mastered the techniques for interrogation and memory examination—

He only saw scattered images of Konoha Hidden Village and Sea Country.

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

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