Chapter 11: Soaring Strength, A Spy's Infiltration
Notes:
The tantō is a short sword, designed primarily as a stabbing weapon, but the edge can also be used for slashing.
A few days later.
Late at night, silence reigned supreme. Uchiha Tonan sat under the eaves, maintaining a steady rhythm of hand signs. His pace was neither fast nor slow, and his eyes were closed as he focused all his attention on sensing the flow of chakra.
Finally, he completed the last hand sign. He looked at his right hand and spread open his five fingers.
Crackle, crackle, crackle.
Electric sparks appeared at his fingertips, as if sharp needles had sprouted from his nails.
"Is this chakra transformation? Too bad these Lightning Needles can't be used as projectiles," Tonan muttered and ended the technique.
Lightning Style – Lightning Needle didn't require many hand signs. Once his spiritual power increased and he became more familiar with the chakra flow, he could use it without any signs at all.
This technique was excellent for trapping opponents. While casually talking and laughing with his prey, he could surreptitiously prick them with the Lightning Needle.
Because lightning-attributed chakra numbs the body, the target wouldn't immediately feel pain and wouldn't scream. Before they could react, combined with Lightning Style – Ground Travel, the opponent would be completely paralyzed.
Not bad at all.
By now, Tonan had mastered several ninjutsu techniques. His Fire Style arsenal included Great Fireball Technique, Phoenix Sage Fire Technique, and Phoenix Sage Nail Crimson Technique.
His Lightning Style comprised Ground Travel and Lightning Needle. And his genjutsu repertoire consisted of Hell Viewing Technique and Mirror Heaven and Earth Change. Plus, he had the hypnotic genjutsu inherent in the Sharingan.
His chakra reserves were comparable to a special jonin's, though his exact spiritual power level was unknown. Still, his current strength gave him a sense of security.
In recent days, Tonan had also trained several more pigeons. These ninja beasts required high maintenance, mainly because their special feed was expensive.
Tonan was a cautious and insecure person. He valued his lookout ninja beasts greatly and therefore ensured their efficiency and loyalty by feeding them the best and most costly food.
Though white pigeons didn't eat much, the living expenses left by his parents were nearly depleted. If not for Sarutobi Hiruzen frequently delivering supplies, Tonan might have had to resort to hunting wild beasts in the forest just to survive.
He wondered when the death compensation from his parents would arrive.
Looking up at the sky, Tonan rose and returned to his room to rest.
Just as he entered and prepared to turn off the lights, he suddenly paused—and the three tomoe appeared in his eyes.
"I hope no one came for me."
He left the lights on, picked up his summary on the 'Will of Fire,' and began reading aloud.
Meanwhile, in the forest outside the Uchiha clan.
A Konoha ninja wearing a standard chunin uniform pushed aside a thick clump of grass and cautiously raised his head.
"I hope the Uchiha clan didn't arrange for that person to live near the clan's central area."
He gazed at the small courtyard on the edge of the clan's territory. The house in the courtyard was dimly lit, and a hazy figure moved behind the window.
"That must be the room. It's already so late and he's still not asleep. Why is this genius working so hard?"
This chunin was Inoue Shinoda. His true identity was a Kiri spy assigned to infiltrate Konoha shortly after the end of the first war.
During the second war, Shinoda only passed inconsequential information and hadn't received any new espionage missions. But as the war between Konoha and Kiri neared its end, Kiri planned assassinations targeting Konoha's geniuses.
A jonin spy was sent to Kakashi's house, and Shinoda was assigned to assassinate Tonan, which was comparatively easier.
After all, Kakashi's father was Konoha's White Fang, so his child was likely protected by ANBU.
Tonan was different.
He was from the Uchiha clan, and it was unlikely ANBU would be stationed in the clan's territory. Most clan guardian ninjas focused on the central area.
The howls of wild beasts echoed sporadically in the forest. While this would terrify most, it made a chunin like Shinoda feel at ease.
He carefully observed his surroundings and ensured there was no human presence nearby. Only then did he relax his guard.
Jumping from his hiding place, he became a black shadow and stealthily advanced toward Tonan's residence.
Unknown to him, every move he made had long been observed by a white pigeon perched on a branch behind him. The pigeon stood quietly, concealed by thick leaves. Only its ice-cold, serene Sharingan was visible.
"Adhere to ninja principles and resolutely implement the Will of Fire with Sandaime-sama at the center…"
"Closely follow Sandaime-sama's path…"
Lying on the roof, Shinoda heard the slightly high-pitched voice coming from the room and sneered inwardly.
"Another pitiful little thing brainwashed by the Will of Fire."
Without delay, he slowly drew his tantō, jumped down from the roof, and landed lightly on the ground.
His movements were fluid and precise. A cruel grin spread across his face as he approached the door and pushed it open.
This place was far from the Uchiha clan's central area. Even if there was noise, clan ninjas wouldn't arrive in time.
To Shinoda, Tonan was just a student who had recently entered the Ninja Academy. So what if he had awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan? That was just untapped potential. He wasn't even a genin yet.
Just three basic taijutsu strikes should be enough to finish him.
At this moment, Shinoda was already imagining the horrified look on Tonan's face as the tantō pierced his body.
But as soon as the door swung open, the bedroom lights suddenly went out. The entire room plunged into darkness, and the reading ceased abruptly.
"As expected of a genius. This guy is alert, but against absolute strength, it's still a dead end."
Shinoda gripped the tantō tightly and stepped into the pitch-black room.
Drip, drip…
He heard water dripping from the kitchen tap. Though the sound irritated him subconsciously, this mission was too important to be distracted by such trifles.
He could vaguely make out the room's layout in the dark. Locking his gaze on the bedroom door, he moved closer and slowly turned the doorknob.
"Little devil, say goodbye to the world."
A cruel smile spread across his face as he pulled the door open and raised the tantō high, ready to strike Tonan—whom he imagined struggling desperately.
However…
No one.
Shinoda froze in shock, standing in the doorway without moving.
He began to consider where Tonan could be hiding. From what he could tell, the bedroom was very simple. Aside from the closet, there was nowhere else to hide.
"If it were me, I'd hide by the door, using the blind spot as cover to launch a surprise attack when the enemy entered."
"But this kid is still a student after all. If he's not too bold, he should be in the closet."
Putting himself in Tonan's shoes, Shinoda thought for a moment. He took a deep breath, calmed his heart, and listened carefully.
Years as a ninja had taught him to be cautious.
If Tonan was hiding by the door, he might suffer a surprise attack—even if the kid's sneak attack was unlikely to succeed.
What he needed to do now was locate the sound of Tonan's breathing to pinpoint his position and kill him with one strike.
Drip, drip…
Other than the dripping water, there was nothing.
"As expected of a genius. Did he see through my intentions? But that's useless. You can't hold your breath forever. I'll just wait until you give in!"
Shinoda's eyes flashed with a mocking smile as if ridiculing Tonan's stubbornness.
Drip, drip…
Time ticked by slowly. Shinoda had become the embodiment of a top hunter, calmly waiting in the dark for his prey to give itself away.
Suuu—
Finally, a suppressed exhale came from the closet.