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28
"This blade is really a pain."
Looking at Kisame, who had already recovered in no time thanks to Samehada, Uchiha Ying frowned slightly.
Not only could it absorb chakra, it could also feed that chakra back to its wielder to heal their injuries.
"You were careless, Kisame."
Itachi, glancing at his partner as he stood back up, slowly opened his Sharingan. His eyes lingered curiously on the boy across from him.
It had always been Uchiha Itachi's habit to remember the face of those he would kill. Yet, the name "Uchiha Ying," and this boy's appearance—neither were recorded in any clan document.
Later, even when Danzo informed him that he had overlooked a child during the massacre, Itachi remained deeply confused.
Could that masked man from that night have intentionally left behind a pawn in Konoha?
That thought made Itachi even more determined to eliminate the boy here and now.
"Impressive… that jutsu from earlier."
Even though Samehada had absorbed part of it, the remaining force was enough to make Kisame suffer.
"The Uchiha clan really does produce genius after genius."
"Yeah, but the most brilliant one is still the guy standing next to you—the one who wiped out his entire clan."
Whether or not the Uchiha were exterminated didn't really matter to Ying. But when he thought about Itachi's actions... Even as an outsider, it was hard to have any goodwill toward someone who had slaughtered his whole family.
"Uchiha Itachi."
Ying didn't back down, staring into Itachi's Sharingan without fear.
——
"Shino, are you okay?"
In the middle of the ruined street, Hinata found Aburame Shino, his body soaked in blood.
"I'm… I'm fine. Just some surface wounds."
Struggling to his feet, Shino wrapped his injuries tightly with Hinata's help.
But as he looked around at the devastation, a deep sense of powerlessness washed over him.
He could wipe out a group of bandits with just taijutsu—but against elite shinobi, even the aftermath of a jutsu could nearly kill him.
Sometimes, the difference between ninja and ninja was even greater than between ninja and civilians.
"You two, stay here and don't move. I'll figure out a way to deal with them."
Having climbed out of another pile of rubble, Kurenai finally relaxed after seeing both her students still alive.
Though she looked a bit dusty, she was otherwise unharmed.
Before, she hadn't seen a chance to unleash her signature genjutsu—not against two S-class missing-nin.
But now that Uchiha Ying was holding the front line, she saw a real shot at victory.
Hmph. That brat, fine. But even this shark dared to look down on a jōnin of Konoha?
"Sensei, I can still—"
Thanks to Ying, Hinata was actually less injured than Kurenai.
"Hinata! We'd only drag them down if we interfered. Let's follow Sensei's orders."
Shino quickly stopped her from rushing forward.
They couldn't help in this kind of battle. It was better to wait until the outcome was clear.
"...Okay."
Hinata stopped, but kept her gaze locked on the fight not far away.
If Ying was ever in danger, she wouldn't hesitate to rush forward.
But… Shino was right. Right now, she'd only hold Ying back...
——
The world worked in such strange coincidences.
To avoid Konoha shinobi suspected to be on a mission in the Land of Fire, Itachi had taken Kisame on a roundabout route—straight toward Konoha, thinking it'd be the safest detour.
At the same time, to avoid conflict with any rogue ninja, Kurenai and her team had abandoned their mission and returned to the village.
Both sides, in trying to avoid trouble, had ended up on the exact same path.
Now, neither Itachi nor Ying wanted this confrontation—but it was already too late.
Eliminating these Konoha shinobi quickly was now Itachi's top priority.
Especially this boy...
He gave off a strange and unsettling presence.
Best to remove any potential threats around Sasuke as early as possible.
"Trash without Sharingan has no right to judge me."
Itachi activated his three-tomoe Sharingan. The murderous intent radiating off him grew stronger by the second.
"Time to correct the mistake I made that night."
"And you're the mistake, you backstabbing traitor. Since we've met today, I might as well help the Uchiha clean house."
A mere Mangekyō Sharingan? Don't act like you're the only one who has it.
Without flinching, Ying calmly picked up a ninja fragment from where he'd knocked Kisame away earlier.
Fighting one-on-two was a long shot—but if he could knock off more ninja gear mid-fight and absorb them, he just might stand a chance.
"Hold up, Itachi-san. Let me handle this brat."
Unwrapping all the bandages on Samehada, Kisame's round eyes locked onto Ying like a predator.
Ssshhh—
The sharkskin sword writhed like a living creature, its mouthful of jagged teeth snapping toward the boy.
"Sorry, Uchiha survivor. Be a good snack for Samehada, will you? You hit it just now—it's really pissed."
Kisame grinned wickedly, holding the squirming blade as it gnashed in anticipation.
"Don't you dare hurt my student!"
**Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death!**
Kurenai's long black hair fluttered unnaturally as she focused all her chakra into the genjutsu.
With her hand seals completed, her body flickered like a mirage—then vanished completely.
"Genjutsu?"
Both Kisame and Itachi immediately raised their guard as they felt her chakra shift.
But despite their awareness, Kisame suddenly found his legs and torso tightly wrapped by thick, twisting branches growing from the earth.
"Interesting. Even knowing it's a genjutsu, even prepared for it, I still got caught. Remarkable technique."
Kisame struggled against the wooden bindings, but they only grew denser—until he was swallowed whole by the trees.
Itachi too found himself trapped.
However—
"As expected of Kurenai-senpai. But using genjutsu against someone with the Sharingan? Not a wise move."
**Demonic Illusion: Mirror Heaven and Earth Change!**
Just when Kurenai thought she had them, Itachi's Sharingan reflected her genjutsu back at her, reversing every effect.
"What!?"
Kurenai's body froze—her own jutsu now ensnaring her with the same wooden bindings.
In the real world, still caught in the illusion, she didn't even see Itachi approaching with a kunai aimed at her neck.
"This is the end, Kurenai-senpai."
*Shhk!*
The kunai sliced skin, drawing a line of red blood.
"Ying!?"
Biting her lip to break free from the illusion, Kurenai Yuhi snapped back to reality—only to see a boy standing in front of her, one hand outstretched.
That hand was gripping Uchiha Itachi's kunai… barehanded.
The blade trembled violently in his palm, but no matter how hard Itachi pulled, it wouldn't budge. It was locked in place like it was caught in solid iron.
"...You've gone too far, Uchiha Itachi."
Ying's voice was low and calm, but the blood dripping from his fingers told another story.
His palm split open from the pressure, fresh blood sliding down between his fingers, painting the kunai's blade in red.
Yet he didn't flinch.
He just looked at Itachi.
That calm, unwavering stare made even Itachi's eyes narrow ever so slightly.
"I should've done this a long time ago..."
Ying suddenly twisted his wrist.
*Crack!*
Itachi's kunai snapped in two.
Before anyone could react, Ying's left foot slid across the rubble, his body pivoting as he grabbed one of the broken kunai fragments—and slammed it upward toward Itachi's face.
*Clang!*
Itachi raised his forearm just in time, the fragment scraping off his arm guard, sparks flying.
But Ying didn't stop there.
While the broken edge deflected, his knee came crashing forward, aiming straight for Itachi's chest.
"Gh—!"
Even with elite reaction speed, Itachi staggered back two steps under the blow, forced to land defensively, Sharingan spinning wildly.
"This boy… is fast!"
And heavy.
That kick had been more like a battering ram.
"You're not the only one who can use the Sharingan."
Ying's voice came again, calm, quiet—and filled with pressure.
Then his eyes opened.
Three tomoe bloomed like blood-red moons in the dark.
Sharingan.
Itachi's brows twitched.
"When did he awaken it?"
But before he could finish the thought—
"Wind Style: Vacuum Palm!"
A gust howled through the street as Ying slammed his palm forward.
A spiraling wall of compressed air shot straight toward Itachi.
The Uchiha prodigy raised a one-handed seal—
"Fire Style: Phoenix Flame Scarlet Claw!"
Flames burst from his mouth in rapid succession, clashing against the wind technique.
Boom!
Flame and wind collided mid-air, creating a swirling vortex that lit up the crumbling street like a second sun.
Rubble flew.
Kurenai raised an arm to shield her face.
Hinata and Shino ducked behind cover, eyes wide.
"…This… This isn't even a normal jonin battle anymore…" Shino muttered.
Kurenai gritted her teeth.
That was a battle between **monsters**.
And Ying… was matching Itachi.
"Stop underestimating me just because I'm young."
Ying walked through the fading smoke, his clothes torn, his palm still bleeding—but his eyes were locked onto Itachi like a predator.
That same gaze as that night.
The night his clan died.
"Uchiha Ying…"
Itachi muttered the name like it was foreign to him, but he knew better.
That child—the one who escaped the massacre.
The one he failed to kill.
"You were the loose end."
"I'm the one cleaning up *your* mess today."
Ying vanished.
A blur of black and red.
Itachi raised his kunai out of instinct, but the strike came from below—a sweeping kick to the ankle.
Itachi's foot slipped.
And Ying was already on him.
Broken kunai fragment flashing down.
But—
*Clang!*
Kisame's massive blade, Samehada, intercepted the strike with a snarl of its fang-like scales.
"Heh. Almost forgot I was here, huh?"
Kisame grinned, lifting his blade again.
"I told you earlier, kid. You're gonna be Samehada's snack tonight."
The blade writhed in his hands like it was alive.
Ying clicked his tongue.
He'd been too focused on Itachi.
That mistake could cost him.
"I'll handle him," Kisame declared. "Itachi-san, you take the others."
"No."
Itachi's voice came cold and firm.
"I'll finish him myself."
There was a pause.
Then Kisame's grin returned. "Hah, suit yourself."
With a shrug, he turned toward Kurenai instead.
Her chakra was still fluctuating from the illusion feedback—perfect prey.
"I'll go say hi to the sensei then."
But just as he took a step—
*Boom!*
A massive wall of earth burst up between him and Kurenai.
A defense jutsu?
No—more like…
"Earth Style…"
Ying landed behind Kisame in a burst of wind.
"…Wall of Reckoning."
The earth didn't just block—it cracked open and erupted with dozens of sharp stone spikes, forcing Kisame to leap back.
"Tch…"
This brat really was getting in the way.
"He's fighting both of us without hesitation…"
Even Itachi couldn't ignore it anymore.
This wasn't just a kid with potential.
This was a shinobi shaped by blood and fire.
"I made a mistake… that night…"
Itachi's voice lowered to a whisper.
"…and I'm going to correct it now."
He raised his hand.
Three tomoe spinning rapidly.
Then suddenly—
The world went red.
A kaleidoscope of chakra surged through Itachi's pupils.
Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Tsukuyomi."
The world shattered like glass.
Ying's eyes widened—
—and he was pulled into the illusion.
Everything turned black and red.
Chains.
Crucifix.
The moon above bleeding endlessly.
Itachi's voice echoed like a god:
"For the next seventy-two hours… you will die by my hand… again… and again…"
But—
"That's a nice genjutsu…"
A smirk cracked across Ying's lips.
"…too bad it's not the only one here."
Then everything inside the Tsukuyomi realm…
**froze.**
"You…"
Itachi's eyes widened.
Ying's body didn't shatter or scream like the others had.
He stepped forward.
Eyes glowing.
"You're not the only one who can control illusions, Uchiha Itachi."
With a snap of his fingers—
The red sky collapsed.
The illusion world cracked like porcelain.
And Itachi—
Was the one yanked out.
Back into reality.
Breathing ragged.
Bleeding from his eye.
"I broke his Tsukuyomi…" Kurenai muttered in disbelief.
"He reversed it?"
"No…"
Ying stood still, blood still dripping from his palm.
"I just don't lose to traitors."
He looked straight at Itachi.
"I'm not the one who ran away that night."
Silence.
The air between them sharp enough to cut.
Then—
Ying moved again.
"Ying!?"
Kurenai snapped back to consciousness by biting her lip, forcefully shaking off the genjutsu.
And the moment her vision returned—the first thing she saw was him.
The boy standing in front of her, one hand stretched out.
He had barehandedly caught Uchiha Itachi's kunai. Blood dripped slowly from between his fingers.
"You—why…"
Kurenai's voice trembled in disbelief.
But Uchiha Ying simply turned his head slightly, and smiled.
"I'm your student, aren't I? Of course I'd protect you."
That light sentence struck deeper than any genjutsu.
Kurenai was momentarily stunned.
But the next second—
She felt it.
A terrifying, suffocating pressure erupted from the boy's body.
It was as if a sleeping beast had been awakened.
The killing intent, chakra, and momentum—all surged outward like a collapsing tide.
Even Uchiha Itachi, who stood right in front of him, narrowed his eyes with alarm.
"So… you weren't just bluffing after all."
The voice was calm, but for the first time, a trace of seriousness entered his tone.
Blood still dripped from Ying's hand.
But his eyes… weren't just calm.
They were focused, sharp—like blades drawn from their sheaths.
"I don't need Mangekyō to kill you."
The boy raised his hand slowly.
Behind him, Kurenai looked up with wide eyes.
She had seen many geniuses.
But in this moment, she was watching a demon awaken.
The battlefield had suddenly tilted.
It was no longer a matter of rank or notoriety.
This was no longer just a fight.
It was a purge.
And Uchiha Ying—was ready to cleanse the name of his clan with blood.
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