Meanwhile, deep in the forest, Akasuna and Kurosuna, along with some Sand ninja, were cautiously exploring.
They remained on high alert, watching their surroundings to prevent any possible danger.
What excited them was that not far from their sight, a scroll lay quietly on a huge stone.
But the scroll was carefully concealed within a seemingly ordinary trap formation, preventing them from taking it quickly.
Just as they successfully disarmed the traps and were about to grab the scroll,
a figure suddenly flashed past their view, snatching the scroll away.
They stood there stunned, mouths agape as they witnessed it happen.
Staring at the now empty stone, their minds went blank, utterly unable to comprehend what had just occurred.
Everything had happened too fast and was too unexpected.
They didn't even clearly see who had taken the scroll, only recalling that fleeting silhouette.
But if anyone was truly unlucky, it clearly wasn't these Sand ninja.
On the other side of the forest, the Rock ninja led by Rōshi were also searching for scrolls.
Their luck was obviously better—they found two scrolls within a short time.
Rōshi held a scroll in his hand, his expression shifting from tense to excited. He felt lucky not to have encountered Uchiha Hikaru.
However, just as Rōshi was admiring the scroll with joy, a figure suddenly appeared out of nowhere and kicked him down to the ground.
Then, with two scrolls in hand, the figure vanished from sight.
When Rōshi hurriedly got up, he realized the figure was gone.
He froze, eyes filled with helplessness and confusion.
The Rock ninja behind him were dumbfounded as well; they hadn't clearly seen what exactly had happened.
But one thing was clear: the scrolls were gone.
They had already been dissatisfied with the Jinchūriki, and combined with Rōshi's previous behavior, these Rock ninja's trust and respect for him greatly diminished.
They began to doubt Rōshi's ability and leadership, thinking he was unfit for the mission.
So they decided to seize command from Rōshi and reorganize the tasks and plans.
Afterwards, teams from several ninja villages also gathered.
Together, they started searching the forest for the scrolls and the Konoha team members.
However, the scrolls had long been taken by Uchiha Hikaru, and only two participated from Konoha this time.
Hatake Sakumo had been warned by Uchiha Hikaru and had already left the forest early.
The ninja teams from various villages trudged through the forest, searching for any possible clues.
Sometimes they split up, sometimes they regrouped, maintaining close communication.
Their eyes were sharp like hawks, scanning every corner without missing any trace.
Yet, even as dusk fell and night approached, the teams still found nothing.
Exhausted and disheartened, it felt like they were trapped in endless darkness.
When they gathered and learned of this situation, they exchanged helpless looks, filled with frustration and confusion.
Especially the Sand and Rock ninja who had their scrolls stolen.
They knew only Konoha's people could have taken them.
But after searching for so long with no trace, they were utterly baffled.
In the end, they decided to leave the forest and go to Konoha for an explanation.
As they exited the forest, a bright light suddenly streaked across the sky.
Looking up, they saw Uchiha Hikaru sitting quietly under a large tree, waiting for their arrival.
In front of him, twelve scrolls were neatly arranged on the ground—none missing.
The scrolls emitted a faint glow, as if telling of their existence.
The ninja teams stared in surprise, filled with doubt and unease.
Doubt over why all the scrolls were with Uchiha Hikaru.
Unease because Hikaru dared to block so many of them alone here, obviously relying on something.
At that moment, someone from the Grass ninja village couldn't hold back and rushed forward, attempting to grab a scroll.
His movements were swift and agile, demonstrating strong ability.
However, just as he was about to touch a scroll, suddenly a jet-black flame appeared and instantly engulfed him. He didn't even have time to scream before turning to ashes.
Everyone present was stunned by this scene.
Especially Rōshi, the familiar flames reminded him of the recent heart-wrenching pain.
But seeing this man turn to ash, he realized Uchiha Hikaru had still held back.
The others' pupils constricted, understanding what Hikaru's reliance truly was.
That was his overwhelming power.
Uchiha Hikaru sat on the high tree trunk, a faint smile playing on his lips.
He looked down at the panicked ninja below and calmly said,
"Don't rush. These scrolls are right here."
He paused, then continued,
"You have two choices: first, use your strength to seize these scrolls, regardless of life or death. Second, these scrolls will be sold by auction."
Hikaru's words made the situation even tenser.
The Grass ninja grew agitated, glaring furiously at him as if ready to charge recklessly.
"Take revenge for the land! Kill him!"
Someone shouted loudly in the air, eyes full of hatred and rage.
"That's right, he's only one person. We are so many; why fear him?"
Another chimed in.
"The scrolls are right ahead. Do you really want to bow to him?"
"He's just a kid. Maybe it was other ninjas secretly acting earlier. If we all rush together, they won't have time to cast jutsu."
These words only further stirred chaos. Not only were the other small village ninjas eager to jump in, even the Sand and Mist ninja who hadn't been beaten yet looked ready to step forward.
However, the Rock and Cloud ninja remained still. They neither moved nor tried to stop others.
Their personal experience told them just how terrifying this seemingly young boy really was.
At this moment, they thought: if a fight really breaks out, eliminating the Sand and Mist first might not be a bad idea.
The surrounding atmosphere grew tense and dangerous.
The wind howled through the trees, occasionally mixed with the breath and whispers of the teams.
As everyone hesitated, suddenly a powerful flame burst from the Grass ninja team, engulfing them all.
The fire blazed, lighting up the now darkened sky.
When the flames died down, all the Grass ninja were gone without a trace, leaving behind only devastation.
Uchiha Hikaru lightly jumped down from the tree trunk, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.
Then, step by step, he approached them, each step weighing heavily on them.
They involuntarily retreated, as if trying to escape the grasp of a demon.
Hikaru stood before them, looked them over, and a cold sneer appeared on his face.
"Now, what is your choice?"