Uchiha Yoshio didn't waste another breath.
In an instant, his Sharingan flared to life — two tomoe spinning ominously in the crimson glow. His hand snapped, and seven kunai flew with perfect precision, cutting off every escape angle.
Almost simultaneously, his fingers blurred through a familiar sequence of hand seals.
> "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"
(Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!)
A roaring sphere of fire erupted from his mouth, flooding the clearing with heat as it hurtled toward Uchiha Jin.
On either side, Uchiha Ryo and Uchiha Yong exchanged a terrified glance.
This wasn't just intimidation anymore. This was attempted murder.
But they knew Yoshio was right — if Jin survived and reported this to the clan, none of them would escape punishment.
Their own Sharingan flared — just a single tomoe each — and they joined the assault, shuriken and kunai raining down from both flanks, closing the trap.
---
Uchiha Jin's expression hardened.
He stopped smiling. Stopped pretending.
> "So that's how it is," he said coldly.
"You really think you can kill me out here?"
His tone was like ice.
> "Do you think I came all the way to the edge of the Forest of Death just to give you a chance?"
His gaze swept over the three of them with open contempt.
> "No. I brought you here — to bury you."
And then — his eyes changed.
In the next heartbeat, his Sharingan spun to life — three tomoe, fully matured, glowing with a cold, merciless light.
The air itself seemed to grow heavier.
Uchiha Yoshio froze, horror dawning on his face.
> "T–Three tomoe?! You— you were hiding your power all this time?!"
Ryo and Yong staggered back a step, their fear spiking.
For the Uchiha clan, the Sharingan was everything — power, pride, identity. A fully matured three-tomoe Sharingan meant Jin was no weakling, no failure.
It meant he had been hiding his strength all along.
But why?
Their questions never reached Jin.
> "Dead men don't need answers," he said flatly.
And then he vanished.
---
A sharp crack echoed — the sound of his footwork breaking the air itself.
> "Rokushiki: Soru."
In an instant, Jin blurred out of sight, moving faster than even their Sharingan could track.
Kunai whistled past empty air. The great fireball consumed nothing but leaves and branches.
And then — he was behind Yoshio.
> "Shigan."
Jin's right index finger struck forward with lethal precision, chakra compressed to a piercing point.
CRACK!
The blow punched through Yoshio's chest, tearing through bone and heart alike. Blood sprayed, and Yoshio collapsed without even a scream, eyes wide in disbelief as the light faded from them.
---
Ryo and Yong froze.
Their eldest brother — one of the clan's top Chūnin — had just been killed in one move.
The difference in power was too great.
Their knees trembled. Their Sharingan spun wildly in panic.
> "P–Please!" Yong shouted, dropping his weapon.
"Jin, we were forced into this! This was all Yoshio's idea!"
Ryo nodded frantically.
> "Yes! We're just small fry. We won't say a word — we'll pretend this never happened!"
They both bowed their heads, sweat dripping down their faces.
But Jin's Sharingan only glowed colder.
> "Small fry?" His voice was soft, almost amused.
"Then you should have stayed that way."
The killing intent in the clearing thickened until it felt suffocating.