"So you've chosen the hard way. Taking you back crippled is fine too. Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Jutsu..."
As the lead ninja prepared to fight, he immediately cast the silent assassination technique. He was unaware, however, that Uchiha Nagi had already activated his Mangekyo Sharingan and was once again busy copying the jutsu…
The Hidden Mist Jutsu, famously used by Zabuza in his battle against Kakashi, was a ninjutsu that conjured a dense fog. This mist was infused with a minute amount of chakra, allowing it to quickly reform even if dispersed by a Wind Style technique. Because of this trace chakra permeating the fog, the Sharingan couldn't discern the caster's location, effectively blinding its sight. This was precisely why Kakashi, despite having his three-tomoe Sharingan active, had opted for a defensive stance.
However, against the Byakugan, it was a different story entirely. The Byakugan's abilities were akin to X-ray vision, leaving the jutsu user with nowhere to hide.
"Hmm, next up wouldn't be the Silent Killing technique, would it?" Uchiha Nagi chuckled.
The Silent Killing technique was designed to complement the Hidden Mist Jutsu. It allowed the user to move soundlessly within the dense fog. Without the mist, it was obviously useless as one could easily be seen, but within the thick fog, it was a deadly trump card.
"Hmph, do you think your eyes are Byakugan? Hand, foot, or head—which do you want me to lop off first?"
The voice echoed from all directions. The lead ninja had clearly entered his element, ready to strike. The few who had accompanied him had also concealed themselves within the dense fog, preparing their attack.
Swoosh—
Several shuriken and kunai flew rapidly towards Uchiha Nagi and Kimimaro. Clearly, they had no intention of sparing the child by his side.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
After a few metallic clashes and a shower of sparks, Uchiha Nagi's pupils suddenly contracted. Several of the kunai were sparking – apparently, the Mist Anbu weren't as destitute as rogue ninjas; they'd attached explosive tags to their weapons.
True enough. Explosive tags were cheap and devastatingly effective; getting hit by one was like taking a grenade. Shinobi were glass cannons—high attack, low defense. Even Orochimaru had been severely injured when he carelessly got hit by a single tag while on the run…
But this wasn't enough to stump Uchiha Nagi. His Mangekyo Sharingan's dynamic vision was excellent. Although the dense fog made it difficult to see far, discerning objects a few meters away was no problem. The moment he saw the explosive tags, he swung his Nichirin Blade and activated a Breathing Style.
"Water Breathing, Sixth Form: Twisting Whirlpool - Flowing Dance!"
Uchiha Nagi subconsciously used this Sixth Form variation for both defense and offense. This technique was an application that combined the footwork of the Sixth Form, "Twisting Whirlpool," and the Third Form, "Flowing Dance," allowing him to absorb the opponent's force into his own movements.
As versatile as Water Breathing was, dealing with a few explosive tags wasn't a particularly difficult task.
Just as he parried the explosive tags, a large sword appeared silently behind Uchiha Nagi and slashed downwards. The strike was fast and precise. Eerily, enhanced by the Silent Killing technique, it made no sound as it cut through the air.
"Watch out—!" Little Kimimaro didn't even have time to utter the word "behind" before Uchiha Nagi was sliced in half at the waist by the large sword.
"Ah—!"
Kimimaro stared in disbelief. His sensei, whom he had known for only a short time, was dead just like that?
"Tch, and I thought he was strong. Turns out…" Thwack!
Before he could finish his sentence, the ninja wielding the Kubikiribocho was pierced through the heart from behind by a blade.
And the Uchiha Nagi who had been cut down moments before was slowly dissolving into a pile of mud…
This was something Uchiha Nagi had discovered: Earth Clones consumed a bit more chakra than Shadow Clones, but they were also more durable. After all, they were made of earth.
"I've been wondering something," Uchiha Nagi said, his voice calm. "Without the Byakugan, you guys can't see in this dense fog either, right? So, what gives you the confidence you can actually kill your enemies?"
He had prepared an Earth Clone the moment the enemy used the Hidden Mist Jutsu. Of course, if he hadn't wanted to copy the jutsu, he could have simply activated his Susanoo and ended the fight in less than a minute.
*"Beneath the Gundam, all are ants"—*of course, that was just a joke. Why would he resort to his "Gundam" for every minor enemy? Chakra wasn't meant to be wasted so frivolously. Besides, the Susanoo wasn't an absolute defense. There was a certain woman in Kirigakure at that very moment who could break through it…
The leader was surprised for a moment, then his entire body dissolved into a Water Clone. Clearly, the one who had attacked Nagi hadn't been his real body either.
"Truly surprising. When did you use that Earth Clone?" A figure appeared behind Uchiha Nagi again. This time, however, he wasn't targeting the adult, but the child.
The Kubikiribocho slashed viciously towards Kimimaro, determined to cut him in two. Kimimaro hesitated for a split second, his sensei's words telling him not to use his Shikotsumyaku echoing in his mind.
In that fleeting moment of hesitation, the blade was already upon him. Of course, at his tender age, even if he used his Shikotsumyaku, his power wouldn't surpass that of a jonin. He was only a child…
Age-wise, he was only two or three years older than Naruto. Before reaching adulthood, one couldn't possibly be that strong. Even Naruto, with his massive chakra reserves, only began to experience rapid growth in power during his teenage years.
Just as the blade was about to strike Kimimaro, Uchiha Nagi, Mangekyo Sharingan blazing, lunged forward.
"The chance! You fell for it—!" The lead ninja's target had never been Kimimaro. Attacking the boy first was merely a feint to lure Uchiha Nagi into revealing an opening.
"Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash - Godspeed!" A flash of lightning streaked past, and Uchiha Nagi's blade was already buried deep in the enemy's heart.
But the masked ninja, despite being stabbed through the heart, showed no surprise. Instead, he let out a savage laugh. "Hahahaha, you fell for it! Now—!"
"Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu—!" came four synchronized shouts.
Four ninjas who had been lying in wait around them suddenly appeared. A combination ninjutsu, evidently prepared for some time, instantly trapped Uchiha Nagi and Kimimaro in a large water prison.
This massive Water Prison Jutsu was, of course, much smaller than the one Kisame would later use to trap the Eight-Tails. However, its strength lay in being a combination ninjutsu cast by four people, making it exceptionally solid and stable.
Uchiha Nagi frowned underwater. The water prison was filled with a strange chakra that firmly sealed him. Is this why ninjas can't perform jutsu inside a Water Prison?
"Hahahaha, this kid wasn't so hard to catch after all! See, the four of us handled him just fine!" cackled a Mist Anbu wearing a fox mask.
"Don't be careless. This is the guy who fought Orochimaru for a long time the night before last," the leader said, slowly approaching. "To be safe, let me cut off his arms and legs before we take him back…"
With that, he menacingly raised the Kubikiribocho—
"I say," a voice drawled from within the prison, "aren't you celebrating a little too soon?"