Relying solely on the Uchiha-Style Swordsmanship he once knew, Uchiha Gen would never have been able to defeat this Hidden Sand youth.
However, he didn't just have swordsmanship enhanced by the Sharingan; he had also acquired the Hatake-Style Blade Technique mastered by the young Kakashi.
Combining the two, his strikes were as swift as lightning and as relentless as a gale.
Coupled with the burgeoning Monstrous Strength of the young Tsunade, he was now a combatant with double-A ratings in strength and speed, paired with elite skill.
Seeing the gravity of the situation, the Sand ninja quickly retreated.
"Trying to run?"
Uchiha Gen's eyes were sharp.
His Sharingan had already caught sight of the distant Sand kunoichi intending to provide aid.
He deliberately retreated as the youth pulled back, formed a hand seal, and slapped the ground.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
"Wind Release: Great Sickle Weasel!"
Dense wind blades formed a storm, leaving deep gouges on the brick-hard earth wall.
At the same time, fire bullets were launched from behind the barrier.
Following closely were shuriken, colliding with each other and merging into the flames, altering the trajectory of the Fire Release.
Through their previous engagement, Uchiha Gen discovered that the Wind Release technique his opponent used with the fan was unique.
When two wind blades converged, they compressed the surrounding air, creating a brief vacuum and using the pressure difference to extinguish flames.
Therefore, he needed to use shuriken to change the fire's trajectory, bypassing the frontal gales to achieve a lethal effect.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Claw Crimson!"
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
After retreating to his teammate's side, the male Sand ninja used the same defensive technique as Gen.
However, while the latter's Nature Transformation focused on petrification, the former's focused on brick-hardening; both served to drastically enhance the wall's durability.
Boom!
Flames exploded, blasting a large crater into the stone wall's surface and cracking its edges.
The main structure remained intact, ultimately blocking the attack.
"They blocked it!"
Before they could even celebrate, the chirping of a thousand birds rang out.
"Chidori!"
Lightning flashed, and the stone wall shattered.
A hand shimmering with lightning pierced directly into the chest of the young Sand ninja, passing straight through.
The Chidori was too fast, and Lightning Release naturally counters Earth Release, allowing it to instantly shatter the obstruction.
No one expected Uchiha Gen to charge directly through the barrier rather than go around it, nor did they expect such overwhelming speed.
Even with peak reflexes, the Sand ninja couldn't dodge; he was critically wounded on the spot and collapsed, his life hanging by a thread.
This was the unpredictability of the Chidori: fast, powerful, and highly penetrating.
If it weren't for the noise resembling a thousand birds, it would be the perfect assassination technique.
Bang!
The Sand kunoichi, finally reacting, struck Uchiha Gen's back with her giant fan.
However, a cloud of white smoke appeared, and Gen's figure dissipated like a bubble.
Shadow Clone!
"Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole Technique!"
In the next second, Gen's figure emerged from the earth, holding his ninja sword and stabbing directly at the kunoichi's lower back.
It was a ruthless move.
If his aim had been just a bit different, and if he had used a tiger seal instead of a sword, it would have been the Konoha secret Taijutsu: One Thousand Years of Death.
In fact, One Thousand Years of Death had been brought over as a skill by the young Kakashi character card, and it was technically a legitimate E-rank ninjutsu.
But a move doesn't need to be graceful as long as it's effective.
A sneak attack from a blind spot can be decisive, just as it was now.
Unfortunately, after the first assassination, the kunoichi's vigilance had increased significantly.
She reacted instantly, using the Body Flicker Technique to dodge the moment Gen appeared.
"Despicable! Scoundrel!"
The Sand kunoichi patted her rear with lingering fear, her face flushed with rage as she gritted her teeth.
"As long as it works," Gen replied, taking a moment to catch his breath.
He wasn't injured, and his chakra reserves were still at a healthy 70%.
What truly taxed him was the feedback from his Shadow Clone being dispelled.
When a Shadow Clone pops, all its memories and sensations are transmitted back to the original body.
He had just experienced the vivid sensation of "death" through that clone.
The experience was jarring, and that momentary shock was exactly why his second sneak attack had failed.
However, he was mentally prepared and in good physical condition, allowing him to quickly regain his composure.
"Now it's just you. How do you plan to stop me?"
Uchiha Gen flicked his sword and walked toward the kunoichi with an oppressive gait.
These two were likely Special Jonin rather than full Jonin.
One mastered Earth Nature Transformation and the other mastered Wind; together, they theoretically had the power to confront a true Jonin.
Unfortunately, their elements were perfectly countered by Gen's Lightning and Fire.
Additionally, since this was the first time Chidori had appeared in the world, the lack of intel gave Gen a massive advantage.
"If I can't stop you, I'll just take you with me!"
The Sand kunoichi's face was etched with a resolve to die.
"It's not time for you to die yet, Rui."
A calm male voice rang out.
A lean, middle-aged Sand ninja, protected by several puppets, arrived at the scene to stand beside her.
"Teacher Shiraishi?"
The kunoichi's face lit up with relief.
Uchiha Gen, however, grew solemn, quickly recalling the intelligence on this man.
Shiraishi: an elite Jonin of the Hidden Sand, thirty-nine years old, and a first-rate puppeteer.
He was capable of controlling four human puppets simultaneously and mastered both Wind and Earth Nature Transformations.
An enemy this dangerous was a high-priority target in the Konoha mission manuals.
"This Uchiha genius... if he isn't eliminated today, he will surely become a grave threat in the future!"
Shiraishi's eyes glinted with murderous intent.
Gen's heart hammered with vigilance.
His current strength was mid-tier Jonin at best, and fighting an elite Jonin would be an uphill battle.
If it were one-on-one, he could focus on survival, but having to worry about a Special Jonin's interference while fighting a master puppeteer was a recipe for disaster.