Chapter 111: Conspiracy
Uchiha Kei had already seen through it — the guy in front of him was just a shadow clone. However, Kei could also tell that this person was likely a sensory ninja.
Sensory ninjas were always a major nuisance on the battlefield, so Uchiha Kei didn't hesitate to prioritize eliminating him first.
What surprised him, though, was that he had been bracing for Kitsuchi's sudden intervention — after all, taking out a sensory ninja was like blinding their entire group.
Anyone with a bit of sense would protect someone like that, even if it was just a shadow clone.
Yet, Kitsuchi didn't make a move. He didn't even try to stop Uchiha Kei, allowing him to swiftly eliminate the shadow clone with a single slash.
Although Uchiha Kei found this unexpected, as a seasoned "veteran" of the battlefield, he wouldn't miss the opportunity created by the enemy's temporary loss of vision. Moreover, he had begun to guess what was going on.
His scarlet eyes swept the surroundings. With a sudden dash, Uchiha Kei appeared in front of a rock ninja, grabbed his neck, and twisted it forcefully.
Releasing his hand, Kei immediately used the Body Flicker Technique to reappear behind another Iwa-nin. His sharp ninjatō pierced straight through the enemy's chest!
Amid the smoke and confusion, the screams of Iwa-nin echoed one after another, but in Uchiha Kei's crimson gaze, everything was clear and visible.
When the smoke finally dispersed, Uchiha Kei stood silently at his original spot, facing Kitsuchi, who was only a few steps away. His face wore a mocking smile, and around him lay the corpses of four Iwa-nin, already lifeless.
Kei's speed was terrifying. As he grew more familiar with the Mangekyō Sharingan, the traits granted by its power manifested more fully within him.
Besides, Kei was already an expert in surprise attacks. In such dense smoke, not to mention ordinary Chūnin — even Jōnin could be fatally ambushed by him, or at least severely wounded.
"You seem to have no feelings for your subordinates," Uchiha Kei said with a cold smile, shaking the blood off his blade as he stared at Kitsuchi. "Or maybe... you should be thanking me?"
"Hmph." Kitsuchi glanced at the fallen Iwa-nin scattered around, sighing softly. "Indeed, from the perspective of Iwagakure, I should thank you. But as for myself... I will avenge them."
"How hypocritical," Uchiha Kei sneered, shaking his head. "Still, it's good news. It seems Iwa-nin intends to negotiate seriously. Is it because of the pressure from Kumogakure? Or is it the psychological pressure from Captain Minato?"
"It's both... and neither," Kitsuchi replied, shaking his head again and sighing. "You're sharp and smart. If you had been born in Iwagakure, perhaps we could have been friends. But here and now, all that exists between us is hatred. I will avenge my subordinates, my friends, and all those Iwa-nin who died by your hands."
Although Kitsuchi's tone sounded weary, the hatred in his voice was unmistakable.
Nevertheless, Uchiha Kei learned some interesting things from this exchange. First, that Iwa-nin had decided to accept Konoha's terms and withdraw their forces.
Second, that Kitsuchi, along with the group of Iwa-nin opposing the negotiations, were likely being used to put pressure on Konoha — to prevent them from making excessive demands.
But there was another, even more crucial reason: to purge disobedient ninja.
One shouldn't assume these rebellious ninjas were simply loyal or patriotic. In truth, their actions challenged the authority of the leadership.
On the battlefield, no one could tolerate such insubordination, because once they believed they were right, they would act solely based on their own judgment — a dangerous approach that could easily escalate the conflict and hatred between Iwa and Konoha, dragging the war into unpredictable chaos. Thus, these troublemakers needed to be dealt with.
However, the leadership of Iwagakure knew that if they killed their own men, it would cause serious problems — damaging morale and shaking their own authority.
But if they died at the hands of Konoha ninja, it was a different story. Given the existing hatred from the war, their deaths would not only boost morale but also fuel the Iwa-nin's motivation to fight against Kumogakure later on. At the same time, it conveniently helped the village clean out internal threats — a win-win situation.
"Even executioners shed crocodile tears."
Uchiha Kei adjusted his grip on the ninjatō in his hand, a vivid blue chakra coating the blade.
"But enough talk," he said coldly. "I'll send you to reunite with your comrades. I hope they'll understand your choices when you meet them."
"No," Kitsuchi replied, every muscle in his body tensing, "you'll personally descend and redeem them. This... is my redemption as well!"
The moment he finished speaking, Kitsuchi flashed to Uchiha Kei's side. Powerful chakra surged violently through his body, and with a single punch, the ground beneath them shattered. The impact was so fierce that entire swaths of surrounding trees collapsed from the shockwave!
But Uchiha Kei had already dodged.
After all, he was only thirteen years old — raw physical strength was hardly his strong suit.
However, this time, Kei felt no fear toward Kitsuchi. His mastery over the Sharingan had grown sharper, and his understanding of the Mangekyō Sharingan had also deepened.
The advantages granted by the Mangekyō had begun to manifest in him, and his chakra reserves were nearly full!
He was no longer the weak and worn-out version of himself from before.
The Uchiha Kei standing here today was someone who had undergone a complete metamorphosis.
With cold, detached eyes, Kei watched Kitsuchi carefully. He noticed that although Kitsuchi kept his gaze locked onto him, he deliberately avoided looking at Kei's face, focusing instead on Kei's body.
It was a clear attempt to guard against genjutsu.
Seeing this, Uchiha Kei's smile deepened even further.
If you seek your own death, he thought, don't blame anyone else when it comes for you.
The wind howled around them, kicking up sand and dust that lashed at their faces.
Neither of them paid it any mind.
Their auras continued to rise, the pressure growing heavier by the second.
Then, just as the smoke and haze began to settle, the two figures moved simultaneously — like twin streaks of light clashing at the center of the battlefield!
"Open!"
In truth, whether or not Kitsuchi looked him in the eye, Uchiha Kei had already decided to use the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
However, he didn't plan on using any eye techniques.
The Mangekyō's enhanced perception far surpassed the standard three-tomoe Sharingan, and its dynamic vision had reached unimaginable heights.
Kitsuchi's death was inevitable — Kei had already made up his mind. He would not hold back.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sounds of kunai and blade clashing filled the air as the two engaged in fierce combat.
One was a powerhouse of taijutsu, brimming with raw strength.
The other, impossibly fast and agile, weaving through attacks with deadly precision.
Their styles were completely different, yet together they danced a deadly ballet across the scarred battlefield.
However, as time wore on, Kitsuchi's body was riddled with wounds.
Blood flowed freely down his frame, staining the ground beneath him.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Kei moved like a butterfly flitting through flowers — graceful, swift, and merciless — bringing endless peril to his opponent with every strike.