Renji glanced back but saw no trace of the two injured enemies. He turned to Yan and Retsu.
"Did you see those Root ninja on the water earlier?"
The two looked back, then shook their heads in unison. "No."
Renji's lips curled into a grin.
"Then I was right. Sensei must've already taken their heads. I've got a plan, and if it works, we might just flip this whole chase on them."
The three huddled together, whispered, then broke out into sly, wicked smiles.
Kunai and shuriken whirled into the night.
"Shadow Shuriken Jutsu!"
"Uchiha Shuriken Technique!"
"Shadow Shuriken Jutsu!"
The barrage forced the Root formation to scatter slightly, but didn't even scratch them. Another volley followed soon after, this time targeting only the center and left. The right-side trio didn't dodge, they ended up pulling ahead.
Renji suddenly veered right. Yan and Retsu kept charging forward.
"We'll take him!" the three on the right barked, splitting from the rest to chase Renji.
Renji's path looked strange, looping around like a spiral, tossing blades at odd angles. Then, he suddenly stumbled and came rushing at them head-on.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Claw Crimson!"
The branches under their feet detonated with a deafening blast. The three Root ninja dropped to the ground, only to find the soil turning liquid beneath them.
"Earth Style: Swamp of the Underworld!"
The mire sucked at their legs. Before they could escape, a roar of fire erupted from the left.
"Fire Style: Majestic Flame!"
And from the front, a gust of wind surged.
"Wind Style: Gale Burst!"
The combined inferno engulfed them. The Root operatives screamed, then silence. Their bodies were ash.
Renji didn't waste time gloating. He turned to Min, his teacher.
"Sensei, Yan and Retsu are luring the rest toward the valley, the one we disguised earlier. We're close. Let's get there first and set the stage."
Min's eyes gleamed with pride. He said nothing, but the satisfaction in his gaze spoke volumes.
They rushed ahead, setting traps in the valley. Renji left two distinctive Uchiha marks on the ground, making sure Yan and Retsu would notice. Then he hid himself among the trees.
Soon, the two teammates arrived, breathing heavily, bodies strained but alert. They spotted the marks immediately, adjusted their pace, and subtly shifted their escape path to funnel their pursuers into the trap.
The Root ninja followed without hesitation, adjusting their formation to close the gap. Just as they thought their prey was within reach.
BOOM!
Explosions shook the forest.
Two Root shinobi leapt back, only for a voice to ring out behind them:
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"
Flames engulfed one of them. Renji himself burst from the smoke, blades clashing against the second, slightly wounded survivor.
Meanwhile, the enemy leader and another operative broke free of the trap's smoke, only to face Yan and Retsu's combined attack.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball!"
"Wind Style: Gale Burst!"
The flames expanded into a roaring inferno. One Root shinobi was incinerated instantly. The two boys didn't linger, darting right to keep the leader occupied.
The battlefield split into three.
Renji clashed blade to blade with a dangerous foe.
Min faced off against a wounded but skilled opponent.
Yan and Retsu fought desperately, their teamwork pushed to the brink.
Renji's opponent was ruthless, skilled in multiple styles. Even with his Sharingan, Renji struggled, his tricks barely slowing the enemy. Shadow clones, diversionary shuriken, clever counters, all chewed up his chakra but brought little success.
Meanwhile, Min pressed his advantage. His foe bled from fresh cuts, defense crumbling. Victory was only a matter of time, but time was the one thing they didn't have.
Yan and Retsu were barely hanging on. Their enemy's jutsu chain was relentless. Earth, Water, Lightning, all mastered, all flowing seamlessly with Body Flicker. Every clash of ninjutsu rocked the forest, every collision leaving the two boys bloodied and gasping.
The scales tipped against the Uchiha. Renji's endurance waned. Min needed to end his duel quickly. Yan and Retsu were fighting to survive.
"Not bad for little Uchiha brats," Renji's foe sneered. "But this is where you die. A cursed clan like yours should've been drowned at birth. You're nothing but a cancer to Konoha. Don't worry, Lord Danzo will see the rest of your kin join you soon enough."
The words hit hard. Renji's guard faltered, a brutal kick smashed into his head. Blood poured from his nose and ear as he tumbled back.
The Root ninja lunged for the kill. But Renji's thoughts didn't waver. A Root operative… talking?
He smirked through the pain. So that's your mistake.
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"
The fire forced a momentary gap. Renji staggered, nearly fainting, but stayed on his feet.
"You want to know why I'm talking?" the Root operative snarled. "Because of your mother. She butchered promising Root shinobi during your trial. My brother was one of them. I'll make sure she sees your corpse, and I'll savor her despair!"
Renji's chest tightened. So Mother did… kill them. And all this time I thought...
But the realization didn't bring fear. It brought pride. His lips trembled into a smile. Mother… you're incredible. I'll live. I'll live so I can ask you myself.
The Root ninja lunged again, blade raised. "Die, boy!"
But what he saw stopped him cold. Renji's Sharingan had changed, both eyes now glowing with the twin tomoe.
The Root operative froze. In his eyes, Renji's form warped into the figure of his dead brother.
"Too late," Renji whispered. "Sharingan Genjutsu."
The man's body stiffened. Renji's blade flashed once. Blood spattered the earth.
The Root shinobi fell, lifeless.
Renji collapsed beside him, chest heaving, vision blurring. If not for that awakening… I'd be dead.
The last thought before he slipped into unconsciousness: I'm still too weak…
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