The moment Yoru laid eyes on the Sharingan, the chakra within his body clashed violently with his spiritual pressure.
Yet not even a flicker of hesitation appeared in his gaze. In the blink of an eye, he vanished with Shunpo.
"Impossible?!"
Uchiha Shisui's Sharingan shrank in shock as he witnessed it.
To break free from his Sharingan genjutsu in such a split second—neither Shinnosuke nor Fugaku, the top elites stationed here, could have done so this effortlessly.
Who the hell is this guy…?
"You're not getting away!"
Shisui's momentary astonishment faded as he immediately pursued Yoru, his form disappearing with equal swiftness as he tracked the fleeing presence.
—
At that same moment, outside Futada Village, Ringo Ameyuri and the others also sensed the escalating disturbance. Explosions echoed and shinobi voices rang out, audible even from several kilometers away.
"Looks like things are really falling apart!"
"As expected of Lord Yoru… Hey, Mangetsu, time to move!"
Ringo Ameyuri placed a hand on the hilt of her longsword, eyes flashing with excitement as she bolted toward the village ahead.
Beside her, Hōzuki Mangetsu formed hand seals, and the surrounding mist grew even denser—his body quickly vanished into the heavy fog.
With both squad captains making their move, the remaining Kirigakure ANBU hesitated not a second longer. In perfect unison, they activated Body Flicker and followed Ameyuri and Mangetsu into the fray.
Meanwhile, the squads led by Fuyuki Tōna and Uzumaki Hiromi remained behind to chart the retreat route.
—
Boom!
"You're not escaping!"
There was no denying Yoru's speed. Within mere moments, he had reached the outskirts of Futada Village.
But the instant he landed, a shadow—almost indistinguishable from the wind itself—suddenly materialized. A blade, striking from an impossibly tricky angle, swung toward his neck.
Yoru raised his hand. His Asauchi clashed against the incoming weapon with deadly precision, blocking the strike and landing smoothly.
[Target Detected: A-Rank – Uchiha Shisui. Side Mission Triggered:]
Mission 1: Subdue Uchiha Shisui – Reward: 10,000 points
Mission 2: Defeat Uchiha Shisui – Reward: 5,000 points
Mission 3: Kill Uchiha Shisui – Reward: 50,000 points
"So it's the Uchiha prodigy—Uchiha Shisui. No wonder he already wields a fully matured three-tomoe Sharingan at such a young age, not to mention that incredible Body Flicker Technique…"
Yoru briefly paused as the system's voice echoed in his mind. He met Shisui's blood-red gaze and the firm, youthful face—so close in age to his own.
The young voice from behind Yoru's Kirigakure ANBU mask made Shisui frown deeply.
The war between Konoha and Kirigakure hadn't officially erupted yet, but the constant skirmishes along the frontlines left little doubt about what was coming. They had gathered plenty of intelligence on Kirigakure's elites.
But this guy? Not in any dossier.
He had bypassed the Hyūga's Byakugan detection and slipped past the village's sentries without a trace. Not only that—he'd incited mass destruction, instantly neutralized Shisui's genjutsu, and now matched him in speed.
Does Kirigakure really have such a hidden powerhouse?
Shisui tightened his grip on the handle of his ANBU-standard ninjatō.
He had to stop this intruder—he couldn't let such a dangerous enemy get away!
Whoosh!
Clang!
Shisui's form flickered out of sight again. His blade, now glinting with killing intent, arced straight toward Yoru's face.
Yoru parried the strike, but Shisui—unfazed—formed a one-handed seal even as their weapons clashed. Holding the Tiger hand seal before his lips—
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
Using the recoil from their clash, Shisui flipped back midair, and a searing fireball erupted nearly point-blank toward Yoru, threatening to consume him entirely.
Yoru didn't panic. A shimmering, circular barrier suddenly materialized over the back of his right hand—the fireball roared against it, but failed to break through.
He slashed downward with his Asauchi, cleaving the fireball in two.
His free hand grasped the air—spiritual pressure flaring from his core.
"Bakudō #39: Enkōsen!"
"Bakudō #30: Shitotsu Sansen!"
Three glowing, fang-tipped spears shot forth from the void and, in an instant, pinned Shisui's arms and midsection against a nearby wall.
"What?!"
Shisui gasped, struggling against the Kido restraints as his gaze instinctively locked onto Yoru again—
—but Yoru had already vanished.
So fast!Even with his three-tomoe Sharingan, he couldn't follow the movement. It was beyond his visual perception.
By the time Shisui caught sight of Yoru again, his enemy was right in front of him—Asauchi glinting in the sun, aiming straight for the kill.
Shlick!
The blade pierced Shisui's throat, severing his head cleanly from his body.
But—
There was no blood.
The restrained, headless body suddenly dissolved into mist—just an illusion.
Shing!Whoosh—!
From behind, three blades tore through the air, targeting Yoru's neck, back, and waist.
Yet another Enkōsen shield bloomed behind him—blocking all three strikes with a clang of metal.
"Shadow Clones?"
Yoru turned to see three Shisuis standing before him, frowning.
"No… not shadow clones. It's that technique—Body Flicker Clone Jutsu, huh?"
A unique ocular technique possessed only by Uchiha Shisui.
By synchronizing specific hand seals with the power of the Sharingan, Shisui could split into multiple afterimage clones. These phantoms attacked simultaneously with the real body and wouldn't vanish even when struck—making them a highly advanced form of genjutsu-based doppelgangers.
Interesting. No wonder he's hailed as the Uchiha clan's most gifted prodigy of this generation.
But... had he awakened those eyes yet?
Beneath his pale mask, Yoru narrowed his eyes.
If Shisui had already awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, then things could get complicated.
Against standard genjutsu, Yoru could forcibly dispel them by creating internal clashes between chakra and spiritual energy.
But Kotoamatsukami—the most powerful genjutsu of all—was another matter entirely.
Right now, Yoru had no surefire way to counter that.
However… if he hasn't awakened it yet…
As Yoru watched him, Shisui also studied Yoru with grave focus.
What kind of jutsu was that? Seals? Barriers? A new bloodline technique?
"Some unknown secret technique…" he muttered. "Looks like Kirigakure came prepared for this war."
Their eyes locked—red against shadowed.
Even without words, they shared the same intent.
Take him down—no matter what.
Both vanished at once.
Their speed was beyond what ordinary humans could perceive—streaks of motion and afterimages lingered in the air.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Ninjatō and Asauchi clashed again and again, each strike showering sparks around them.
But soon, Shisui began to feel a numbness in his arms. His hands ached. He was being overwhelmed.
This guy's swordsmanship and close-quarters combat skill… it's terrifying!
After being forced back by a heavy strike, Shisui created distance. Switching to one hand on his blade, he rapidly wove hand seals—his cheeks puffed with air.
From his mouth, a massive fire dragon surged forth.
"Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"
Yoru responded without hesitation.
"Hadō #54: Haien!"
A swirling wave of destructive purple fire burst forth, crashing into the incoming dragon head-on.