WebNovels

Chapter 31 - The Battle Begins

Could it be that the Anbu are tailing me?

Uchiha Shigure narrowed his eyes, his senses taut with vigilance. His mind raced. It's already been half a month since I returned… did Konoha discover something? Do they suspect me?

Yet something about the presence behind him felt off. If the Anbu had truly confirmed him as their target, they would not have waited; he would've already been under attack.

"Better to confirm first," Shigure muttered under his breath. "Sharingan—open!"

His crimson eyes whirled to life, revealing the delicate network of chakra veins in the villagers moving through western Konoha. His perception stretched far—further than ever.

If this were before, I wouldn't stand a chance of identifying who was tailing me from such a distance. Good thing the range of my Sharingan has expanded… Otherwise, I'd be blind out here.

And then he saw them.

The truth left him stunned. "No way! Golden hair, Jōnin vest… and that specialized kunai—the Flying Thunder God kunai! That's… Namikaze Minato, the future Fourth Hokage!"

Shigure's gaze darted again. Silver hair spilling over one eye, a tanto strapped across his back. "That has to be Hatake Kakashi, the prodigy… Does he have some connection with Kusuo?"

And the girl—brown hair framing a gentle face, purple markings on her cheeks. "Nohara Rin, the Three-Tails' future Jinchūriki…"

Last came the boy, his enthusiasm practically glowing even from afar. "And Uchiha Obito… one of the future's most tragic villains..."

A whole team. Team Minato.

Why are they here? Why are they trailing me of all people?

As much as he wanted to approach and meet them, time was short. The trial between Hizashi-sensei's class and Suzuki-sensei's class was already underway. No hesitation allowed.

"Fine then. If you want to follow me, let's see if you can keep up!" A sharp grin spread across Shigure's face as his chakra flared, erupting with Kage-level force. "Minato Namikaze… let's see if your Flying Thunder God is faster than Uchiha Shigure's Instant Body Technique!"

In the blink of an eye, Shigure blurred forward, his body flicker carrying him at astonishing speed—leaving Minato's team far behind.

Yet Minato, sharp as ever, quickly read the situation.

"The gap… it widened fast. He's not an ordinary boy. Whether he sensed me or simply accelerated, we'll lose him at this rate." Minato's lips curved into a calm smile. "But not if I intervene."

He turned to his team. "Stay close. I'll go ahead—and I'll leave my mark."

With a flick, the golden-haired Jōnin cast a special kunai ahead. An instant later, his form vanished and reappeared at its location, his ethereal speed bridging the gap. Again and again, kunai after kunai shimmered as he cut through space itself.

"Oh… my god…" Shigure's eyes widened as he glanced back. "That's it! The First Stage of the Flying Thunder God!"

Excitement roared through his veins despite the danger.

"To chase me down, Namikaze is actually using his Hirashin! Space-time ninjutsu, unfolding right before my eyes… It looks intricate—yet if my Sharingan captures every detail…"

He did just that, copying the chakra pathways Minato used, overlaying the formula in his memory.

"So this… this is the Flying Thunder God. Incredible! And Minato's chakra—at Kage-level already? He's a true genius. But if I can master this too…"

Shigure's heart beat faster. Space-time travel, the ultimate ability he had coveted since long ago—it was finally within reach.

By the time Minato closed distance again, Shigure had pushed his own instant movement beyond its limits, darting further ahead. For now, the prodigy escaped.

The trees thinned. The sounds of battle reached Shigure's ears before his eyes caught sight of it.

"We're almost there… but things look bad." His Sharingan cut through the distance, revealing the clash at Konoha's Fourth Training Ground.

The newly minted Genin of Hizashi's squad—Hatake Kusuo and Hyūga Akane—were locked in bitter combat against Suzuki's older students.

That's Matsuyama Shuichi… Shigure's gaze narrowed on the burly Genin, muscles packed like coiled steel. He towered over Kusuo, raw strength bursting with each movement.

Kusuo's blade sang in arcs of Hatake clan kenjutsu—but against Shuichi's sheer overwhelming force, it wasn't enough. Kusuo's guard broke, his body slammed into the dirt. He twisted back to his feet, teeth clenched in disbelief.

"Damn it! How… could this happen?" He could taste the bitter sting of failure.

Shuichi's laugh was harsh and grating. "Hah! Exactly what we expected. Flowers raised in a greenhouse—you fresh Genin can't survive the storms outside. You'll never match us veterans!"

Indeed, Suzuki's team weren't new recruits. They'd been Genin for some time, their bodies hardened on missions and their skills verging on Chūnin level. Caught off guard, Kusuo's loss had been inevitable.

Akane drew a tense breath, red hair whipped by the wind as she stepped forward. Her voice trembled but steadied with stubborn zeal. "Kusuo, Shigure… leave the rest to me."

"Akane, careful!" Kusuo called. Beaten yet not broken, he forced her a warning. "Watch his strength—don't let him land a solid hit!"

"Understood!" Akane answered firmly. Her stance flowed into the Hyūga's Gentle Fist. Yet even so, her dōjutsu remained unopened—just faint Byakugan traces stirring—but incomplete. Her taijutsu lacked its full piercing power.

Shuichi came at her relentlessly. Each time she darted for a strike, his massive arms swung wide like sledgehammers, forcing her back. Akane's speed held her ground for a few exchanges, but Shuichi's durability and strength dominated; he suppressed her mercilessly.

"You're persistent, aren't you, Hyūga princess?" Shuichi growled with mocking glee. "But you'll only break yourself. Admit defeat!"

On the sidelines, his teammate—Suzuki Saori—snickered. "Yes, give it up already. You're only hurting your pride."

Akane's breaths grew heavy. Dust coated her cheeks as Shuichi pressed ever closer. A vision of Shigure's eyes flashed in her mind. Somewhere, deep within, courage surged.

Her fists clenched tight. "No… I won't admit defeat!"

Shuichi's smirk turned feral. He slammed his fists together with a deafening crack. "Then suffer for your stubbornness!"

"Kusuo! Don't panic," Suzuki Saori called lazily from Shuichi's side. "This is just a practice match, right? If she collapses, we'll end it. Don't take it so personally."

Still, Hizashi's sharp gaze tracked every move from the sidelines. His brow furrowed. "Akane… you've grown, but still… this opponent's beyond you."

Kusuo's voice nearly cracked with frustration. "Hizashi-sensei, she can't keep going! Should we stop her—?"

But the Hyūga jonin lifted his hand, restraining him. "Not yet. Wait…" His pale eyes glimmered faintly. "We'll see. Shigure… it's time."

The moment hung heavy in the air.

All eyes shifted instinctively toward the treeline—toward where Shigure was already in motion, shadows peeling back as his Sharingan glowed crimson.

And with that, Uchiha Shigure stepped onto the battlefield.

--

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