Although Samui spoke coldly, her hands didn't stop. She swiftly gathered chakra and swung out a sharp lightning arc—Lightning Slash—which crackled toward the black-cloaked intruder atop the tree branch.
Whether this masked person was a true Uchiha or not, he had harmed her comrades, and she would never show mercy.
Ryosuke, standing atop the large tree branch, swung his blade with precision. The lightning slash was neatly severed, though his arm tingled briefly from the impact.
He smiled. "Take a guess."
Samui hadn't expected her Lightning Slash to be blocked so effortlessly. That level of control meant her opponent's strength was easily on par with hers—perhaps greater.
"You bastard," she snapped. "You'll regret raising your hand against the Cloud. Lord Raikage won't let you go."
Ryosuke scoffed. "Oh no, I'm so scared. You'd better worry about yourself first."
He didn't intend to keep dragging things out. According to the map, this area was already close to the border. The borderlands were chaotic and dangerous—full of wandering ninja and bandits. The last thing he needed was witnesses.
Without hesitation, he lunged at the remaining Cloud shinobi.
Most of them weren't even jonin. Against someone like him, they had no chance. It wasn't long before they all lay in pools of their own blood.
Samui's expression darkened with rage. She tried to intercept, but her speed was far inferior.
"Damn you! I won't let you get away with this!"
But Ryosuke only smiled, calm and unshaken.
"You should focus on protecting yourself."
Her fury boiled over. She channeled all her chakra and shouted:
"Cloud Style: Instant Strike!"
It was her secret technique. In a blur, she closed the gap between them, her blade flashing with deadly intent. But Ryosuke easily deflected her blow.
She didn't stop, following up with a series of powerful slashes.
Still, Ryosuke blocked every strike with ease, the Sharingan in his eyes glowing ominously. To him, her moves were crystal clear.
With chakra surging into his eyes, the tomoe swirled into intense red light.
"Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes!"
Samui's heart skipped. He was this strong and still hadn't used genjutsu until now?
Was he… Uchiha Fugaku himself? Or someone even more dangerous?
Her thoughts blurred. She knew she was being drawn into an illusion, and she tried to cut herself to break it—but she was a second too late.
The moment she hesitated, she was pulled into a crimson-hued world. Her limbs were bound by illusory stakes, her body completely immobilized.
Her face twisted with frustration. She knew she'd been trapped.
If no one came to help her, she wouldn't be able to break free.
Ryosuke now stood before her, his gaze falling over her form—confident, controlled.
Her distinctive outfit made her especially noticeable.
"You bastard…" she growled. "Why did you attack us? If you're going to kill me, at least let me die knowing why."
Ryosuke countered with a smirk, "Who said I'm going to kill you?"
"Then why… Why kill my comrades?"
"They were in the way," he said simply. "But you—I'm here to give you a gift."
Samui's eyes narrowed. "A gift? What nonsense are you spouting?"
Ryosuke's smile deepened. "I overheard your little conversation earlier. About your Cloud Village's 'Breeding Plan'? If you're so interested in strong bloodlines, how about mine? The Uchiha bloodline is arguably the strongest in the shinobi world."
"I'm offering it to you—willingly."
Samui froze, stunned. "What are you even saying? Are you crazy? Do you want to donate your eyes?"
Ryosuke chuckled and shook his head. "Not that kind of donation. I'm talking about helping with that plan of yours directly."
Now understanding his implication, Samui felt her heart jolt.
She forced a calm voice. "Fine. Come back to Cloud with me. I'll find you some… suitable women."
Of course, she didn't mean it. The moment she returned to the village, she'd see him executed for what he did. No matter what, vengeance was necessary.
But Ryosuke wasn't fooled. He laughed.
"Why go to all that trouble? There's already someone right here."
Samui's expression darkened. A chill ran down her spine.
She wasn't naive—she knew she was considered beautiful, her figure especially attractive. That pride now felt like a curse.
"I—Cloud has many other suitable candidates," she stammered. "Better ones, even…"
Ryosuke cut her off. "I'm quite satisfied with you."
He gently lifted her, cradling her like precious cargo.
Samui panicked, shouting, "If you dare—! I won't let you off!"
But Ryosuke's eyes were calm.
"Then it's mutual, isn't it? Since you won't forgive me, I may as well not let you go either."
He carried her to a secluded cliffside clearing. A place no one would disturb.
From his storage scroll, he summoned a padded mat and laid it down.
He placed Samui gently upon it.
This wasn't about the mission anymore—it was about something he'd bottled up inside.
Even though Samui was still caught in genjutsu, her body trembled instinctively from the sense of danger.
"You're insane," she hissed. "You can't just do this!"
Ryosuke looked down at her and muttered coldly.
"This world is already insane. If your village can target someone like Hinata… then don't expect me to play by the rules."
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