Rukawa twisted Yashiro's wrist.
In an instant, blinding arcs of lightning exploded from his hand, transforming into countless serpentine currents that surged through Yashiro's entire body.
The attack came so fast that Yashiro didn't even have time to scream.
His body crackled and smoked, flesh scorched to a crisp.
He barely clung to life.
"Tch. Can't even handle one percent of my power, and you dared bark in front of me."
Rukawa scoffed at the charred remains of Yashiro before casually tossing him—straight into a nearby trash bin.
Dusting off his hands, he calmly turned to the other two.
Tekka and Inabi stood frozen, dumbstruck. It felt like a nightmare.
One strike. He'd gone down in one strike.
And Yashiro was the strongest among them!
A brat who hadn't even graduated from the Academy had just one-shot him?
Impossible.
Izumi clutched her mouth, equally stunned.
Rukawa... When did he get this strong? He just took down a Jōnin in a flash!
"Who... who the hell are you?! Why are you pretending to be Uchiha Rukawa?!"
Inabi and Tekka snapped out of it and backed away, shouting in alarm.
A seven-year-old stronger than a Jōnin? That was absurd. This had to be an imposter.
"Spill it! Why are you impersonating the clan head's son? What's your objective?!
When the clan elites return, you won't get away with this!"
Rukawa vanished.
He didn't bother arguing. Trash like this wasn't worth the breath.
"H-he's gone?!"
"Where is he?!"
Their Sharingan spun wildly, but they couldn't find him.
Suddenly, a fist appeared right in front of Inabi's face.
"What?!"
He barely had time to raise his arms to block—
Crack!
The sound of bones shattering echoed.
How is he this strong...?!
Both of Inabi's arms broke instantly, and he was hurled into a wall.
Bang!
He slumped to the ground, unconscious.
Tekka trembled. Cold sweat trickled down his spine.
This kid... he's no Academy student. He's a monster—at least Elite Jōnin level!
When Rukawa looked his way, Tekka panicked.
Thud!
He dropped to his knees.
"S-sorry! I'm sorry! I shouldn't have caused trouble! Please spare me!"
He groveled without dignity, terrified out of his mind.
"Please, I'll never do it again!"
Even Yashiro had been one-shot. What chance did he have?
His pride, his clan honor—all of it meant nothing now.
Rukawa approached in silence, expression blank.
Tekka's face went pale.
He's ruthless. He won't spare me just because I begged.
Then he had an idea—and spun around to kowtow to Izumi.
"Izumi! Please, have mercy!
We're from the same clan! It was Yashiro who dragged me into this—I didn't want to hurt you!"
"Please, Izumi! Spare me!"
Tears and snot ran down his face.
Izumi looked at him with thinly veiled disgust.
Still, she was just thirteen. Too kind.
She turned to Rukawa, hesitant.
"Rukawa... That's enough.
We're still in the Uchiha compound. If anyone sees you attacking clansmen, it'll cause trouble."
"Alright. For your sake, Izumi-nee, I'll let this dog live."
"But next time you screw up like this, I'll kill you ten times over."
Rukawa nodded and stepped back.
This kind of small fry wasn't worth his time.
"And don't ever go after Itachi-kun again," Izumi warned coldly.
"Y-yes, yes! Of course!"
Tekka bowed repeatedly.
But as he watched the two walk away, his eyes turned blood-red.
Three-tomoe Sharingan spun, glowing with rage.
His face twisted in fury. Killing intent poured from him.
Damn it. Damn it all.
Two damn brats made me kneel?! I'll get my revenge. I swear it!
Just as he plotted his comeback, darkness fell over his vision.
Pain exploded through his skull.
"Aaaaah! My eyes!"
Rukawa retracted his clawed fingers and said coldly:
"Watch your eyes, trash."
He'd sensed Tekka's bloodlust from afar.
So he returned.
And took his eyes.
"I was going to spare you. But you had to go and act tough. That's on you."
"N-no... You misunderstood! I wasn't thinking about you!"
Tekka trembled, blinded and sobbing.
"I was just mad at Yashiro's stupidity, I swear—"
Boom!
Rukawa silenced him with a kick, launching him ten meters.
He didn't bother checking if Tekka was alive.
He just turned and walked away.
"Y-you... are you really Uchiha Rukawa?"
On the road, Izumi looked at the boy—still a head shorter than her—and whispered in disbelief.
"Of course. One hundred percent, bonafide Uchiha Rukawa."
Rukawa turned to her with a radiant smile.