Just as Uchiha Tunan was contemplating whether to eliminate the two Root operatives in advance, his white doves, scattered as surveillance, relayed an unexpected scene.
Through their shared vision, he saw Kamiya Kazuki and Yoshida Taro casually greeting the stationed forces in the town before slipping away under the cover of darkness.
A faint smirk appeared on Uchiha Tunan's lips as he poured himself a cup of freshly brewed tea, taking a slow sip. Amused, he murmured to himself:
"Why struggle so much? I walk my path in the light, while you march toward the abyss. Wouldn't it be easier to stay out of my way?"
As time passed, dusk deepened, and the small town gradually fell silent. The warm glow of lanterns flickered from the homes of civilians, but soon, one by one, they dimmed as people retired for the night.
A light drizzle began to fall—common in areas bordering the Land of Rain—coating the streets with a fine mist. The once-lively chirps of insects and birds faded into an eerie, deathly silence.
Then, two shadows emerged at the town's edge, their silhouettes barely visible in the rain.
"Are we within range?" Kamiya Kazuki asked in a hushed voice.
Yoshida Taro closed his eyes, focusing his chakra. "Yes. He's in that hotel, likely on the second floor."
"That brat's genjutsu is troublesome. As soon as he activates his Sharingan, we shut our eyes. If we don't make eye contact, he's powerless against us."
Sharing a knowing glance, the two infiltrators darted into the town, their steps silent as ghosts.
BOOM!
A sudden clap of thunder rumbled across the sky, and the drizzle intensified into a torrential downpour.
Lightning crackled, illuminating the second-floor corridor of the hotel in brief flashes of pale light. Hanging upside down from the ceiling, the two operatives positioned themselves at both ends of the hall.
Yoshida Taro focused his chakra once more, pinpointing Uchiha Tunan's exact location. With synchronized precision, the two crept toward their target's door, pressing their backs against the walls.
Kazuki signaled.
Both silently drew their tantōs.
Reaching out, Kamiya Kazuki placed a palm against the door.
BOOM!
The wooden frame exploded inward, revealing a dimly lit room. Without hesitation, the two lunged inside, their blades aimed at the figure on the bed.
Uchiha Tunan bolted upright, his Sharingan flaring to life.
"You?!" he gasped in shock.
In that instant, both Root operatives shut their eyes and struck without hesitation.
Poof!
Their blades sliced through air—only for the target to vanish in a wisp of smoke.
"A shadow clone?" Yoshida Taro scowled, immediately activating his sensory jutsu.
CRASH!
A sudden clatter echoed from downstairs—the sound of a trash can toppling over.
Kamiya Kazuki rushed to the window. Through the sheets of rain, he spotted Uchiha Tunan stumbling into the distance, soaked to the bone, his face contorted in terror.
"Chase him!"
Leaping into action, Kamiya Kazuki sprinted down the rain-slicked streets while Yoshida Taro took to the rooftops.
"Help! Enemy attack!" Uchiha Tunan screamed as he ran, his feet kicking up water with each desperate step.
Lights flickered on across the town. Windows creaked open. The once-sleeping village stirred awake.
"Damn brat," Kamiya Kazuki growled. He looked up at Yoshida Taro and nodded.
Understanding the signal, Yoshida Taro sheathed his blade and weaved a rapid series of hand seals.
"Nehan Shōja no Jutsu—Temple of Nirvana Technique."
From the stormy night sky, ghostly white feathers drifted downward, phasing through rooftops and open windows.
One by one, the town's inhabitants—civilians, guards, even stationed shinobi—fell into a deep slumber, their bodies slumping against doorways and walls.
The sheer scale of the genjutsu drained the two operatives' chakra reserves, but there was no time to recover—Uchiha Tunan had already fled beyond the town limits, heading toward the dense forest.
"He's trying to lose us in the mountains. No more games—pursue with full speed!"
Utilizing the Body Flicker Technique, they closed the gap, but to their astonishment, Uchiha Tunan mirrored their movements, vanishing and reappearing just as swiftly.
Thunder rumbled across the heavens. Rain cascaded in blinding sheets, the storm now a full-on deluge.
From deep within the forest, a chilling sound echoed through the night.
"Coo-coo!"
A flock of startled birds scattered, their cries lost in the storm.
Mud swallowed Tunan's feet as he sprinted, slipping and sliding over the uneven terrain. Behind him, his pursuers moved effortlessly between the trees, their soaked cloaks fluttering as they closed in.
The gap was shrinking.
"No matter how many times you use the Body Flicker Technique, you're just a mere genin," Kamiya Kazuki muttered, gripping his tantō tightly.
Suddenly—
THUD!
Uchiha Tunan's foot slid out from under him, sending him sprawling face-first into the mud. His body was caked in dirt and rainwater, his breathing ragged.
Still, he scrambled to his feet, clawing forward on all fours.
Then—he stopped.
His heart sank.
Before him stretched a sheer cliff face, its edge crumbling from the downpour.
A dead end.
Desperate, he turned—only to find Kamiya Kazuki and Yoshida Taro perched on a tree branch, their eyes cold, their blades glinting.
For the first time, flickers of amusement danced in their usually expressionless eyes.
Uchiha Tunan's breath hitched.
He fell to his knees in the mud, forehead pressed to the earth.
"S-Senpai… please… spare me..."