At that moment, a single Cloud-nin was holding his own against three Konoha shinobi at once. The kunai and shuriken they hurled at him bounced harmlessly off his skin, not leaving so much as a scratch.
One of the Konoha ninja leapt aside from a powerful slash, forming seals as he inhaled sharply and spat out a fireball.
But the Cloud-nin shattered the oncoming sphere of flame with a single punch. His fist didn't stop there—it roared forward, straight toward the Konoha ninja who still had his hands locked in the final seal.
The ninja's eyes widened—too slow to react.
Then, in a flash of movement, a figure appeared before him. Facing that devastating punch head-on, Uchiha Yuan met it with a punch of his own.
Boom!
The two fists collided—one large, one small—and the impact detonated like thunder. The shockwave tore through the air, scattering dust and debris in a violent gust.
The tall, dark-skinned Cloud-nin stumbled back several steps, each footfall shattering the ground beneath him.
Opposite him, Yuan flipped backward and landed steadily on his feet.
The Cloud-nin's gaze fell on the fan-shaped crest on Yuan's uniform, and his eyes widened. A savage grin spread across his face.
"Uchiha… So you're the brat who killed Isaka and his men."
Yuan's lips curled into a proud smirk. "Then you'll be the next. Tell me your name—you wouldn't want to die to someone who doesn't even know it, would you?"
The Cloud-nin let out a bark of laughter that turned into a feral grin. "Hah! Arrogant little bastard!"
His smile vanished, replaced by a murderous glare. "Brat, I'll crush every bone in your body one by one!"
With that roar, a fierce gust of wind erupted beneath his feet. His massive form surged forward like an enraged beast charging its prey.
Yuan slammed his palms onto the ground. "Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
A thick wall of rock shot up in front of him—only to explode a heartbeat later as the Cloud-nin's body tore through it.
Now face-to-face, Yuan saw the man's entire body wreathed in crackling lightning.
Lightning Release Chakra Mode!
The realization made Yuan's eyes narrow.
He darted and twisted in the narrow space between them, his movements sharp and unpredictable, evading the Cloud-nin's grasping hands.
Then, in a burst of motion, Yuan sprang upward, flipping over the man's head. Hanging upside down midair, he drove his kunai down toward the Cloud-nin's skull.
Crack!
A brittle snap rang out—the kunai broke against the lightning armor covering his body.
The Cloud-nin spun, his fist already in motion. The blow landed squarely on Yuan's chest, sending him hurtling backward like a cannonball through the trees.
"Lightning Release: False Darkness!"
As the Cloud-nin prepared to chase, the world suddenly went black before his eyes. A shout rang out—then two more.
"Fire Release: Great Flame Bullet!"
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
Fire and wind fused in an explosive roar, a blazing inferno engulfing the Cloud-nin.
But moments later, he burst through the flames unscathed.
"Damn it!"
"That's the Cloud's taijutsu—unbelievable defense!"
Meanwhile, Yuan crashed through several thick trees before slamming into the ground dozens of meters away.
He rose slowly, brushing splinters from his vest, where a deep fist-shaped dent marred the fabric. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Wiping it away, Yuan spat out a mouthful of blood and stared coldly across the battlefield—meeting the Cloud-nin's gaze once more.
"You've managed to injure me," Yuan said quietly. "That's enough to earn my respect. I am Uchiha Yuan."
The man bared his teeth in a grim smile. "Old man Dasei—Elder of the Hidden Cloud. Remember that name, brat. I'll be the one who kills you."
With a roar like thunder, Dasei lunged forward.
"Lightning Release: Lariat!"
Lightning flared around his arm as he charged, the sheer force of it drawing every eye on the battlefield.
"Elder Dasei is using the Lariat!"
"Haha! That Uchiha brat's done for—no one survives the Cloud's secret technique!"
Feeling the deadly intent bearing down on him, Yuan exhaled slowly. His eyes flashed—and he drove a straight punch forward.
Boom!
Their attacks collided. The blast split the air, sending a shockwave rippling in all directions. The ground trembled violently, fissures spidering outward from the impact.
This was no ordinary punch—Yuan's Straight Fist Thrust was the culmination of years of training, the purest form of his martial focus.
He could throw ten thousand of these strikes within an hour, each one refining his intent and power.
The strike he unleashed now carried enough force to shatter mountains.
A mist of blood blossomed in the air.
A severed arm spun away, trailing crimson.
Yuan stood unmoving. Dasei, however, was hurled backward, his right arm—once wreathed in lightning—now gone, blood spraying from the stump.
"Elder Dasei!"
Gasps and cries erupted among the Cloud-nin.
Finish him while he's down.
Yuan's figure blurred. He leapt high into the air, descending like a falling star with his heel aimed straight for Dasei's skull.
Two Cloud-nin body-flickered into place—one raised a sword to block, the other grabbed Dasei and leapt away.
Yuan's kick shattered the sword cleanly in half. He twisted midair and landed lightly on the ground.
Ahead, the surviving Cloud-nin retreated in haste, hauling Dasei away.
Not willing to let them go so easily, Yuan's body shot forward again. He appeared above them, leg already swinging down in a lightning-fast roundhouse. The air boomed as his heel cut through it.
Dasei glared up at him, eyes bloodshot. "Brat! I am Dasei of the Hidden Cloud!"
Lightning flared again from his remaining arm—forming a spear of blinding light.
Boom!
Their attacks collided midair. The impact hurled Yuan backward, his body skidding across the air before he landed heavily, staggering a few steps to steady himself.
He watched silently as the Cloud-nin retreated, escorting the wounded Dasei into the distance.
Then, a flush of color crept across Yuan's face—he coughed, blood spilling from his lips.
Tch… careless. I underestimated that old bastard.
In the end, the Cloud-nin escaped with Dasei, leaving seven corpses behind.
In the following days, Yuan clashed repeatedly with Cloud reconnaissance teams—several of which he annihilated completely.
Before long, his name spread across the Cloud forces.
He was no longer merely "that Uchiha brat."
The title once whispered by the Sand-nin—"The Savage Tiger"—had begun to echo through the Cloud ranks as well.
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