Hizure merely glanced at him.
"Uchiha Kin, keep your subordinate in check."
He had never once taken Hyuga Kiyoshi seriously—after all, the boy was just a young Chūnin, and a Hyuga of that age posed little threat.
Hearing Hizure's words, Kin smiled and explained, "Kiyoshi isn't a subordinate. He's my friend. So what he chooses to do is none of my business. After all, friends just help each other out."
"You!" Hizure's eye twitched, his expression darkening. He might not be able to take on Uchiha Kin, but this brat was another matter.
"Then you won't mind if I kill him," Hizure growled. If that was how it was, he wouldn't hold back.
"I'll kill you, Hizure-san," Kin replied without hesitation. Hyuga Kiyoshi was truly one of his own—a loyal subordinate who revered him. He wouldn't abandon him so easily.
Hizure took a deep breath. Kin was utterly incomprehensible to him. He turned his attention to Hyuga Kiyoshi.
"Then I'll just have to teach you a lesson."
But Kiyoshi was already at his left side, palm striking forward. He had never been one for idle chatter.
"Eight Trigrams: Mountain Crusher!"
A fierce wind howled from his palm, the air itself splitting under the force. This was a Gentle Fist strike that rivaled the strongest of Hard Fist techniques—any ninja hit by it would instantly lose their ability to fight.
Hizure leaned back to dodge the strike, then raised his knee, aiming for Kiyoshi's abdomen.
"Too naive, brat!"
Kiyoshi didn't respond. Instead, he twisted mid-air, driving his elbow into Hizure's knee. The force of the blow made Hizure's face contort in pain as he staggered back.
Hizure quickly formed hand seals.
"Earth Release: Stone Dragon Devourer Technique!"
A massive dragon's head erupted from the ground, lunging to swallow Kiyoshi whole.
Kiyoshi spun rapidly in place, blue chakra forming a complex circular domain around him.
"Eight Trigrams Palms: Heavenly Spin!"
A Hyuga clan taijutsu that released chakra from all the body's tenketsu to repel attacks while rotating to reflect the force back at the enemy. Kiyoshi had mastered it on his own.
The stone dragon shattered under the spinning force.
But it didn't end there.
The circular domain suddenly expanded violently.
A further evolution.
"Eight Trigrams Palms: Six Meridian Divine Sword Modified! Heavenly Spin!"
The domain expanded at blinding speed. Hizure tried to leap away, but it was too fast—he had no time to dodge or even form seals.
Then—
"Boom!"
The Heavenly Spin struck him, sending him flying.
A massive blue sphere appeared on the battlefield. When the technique dissipated, a semicircular crater remained in the ground.
Hizure climbed out of the crater, his face twisted with rage as he glared at Kiyoshi.
"I'll kill you!!"
He had never been humiliated like this before.
He raised his hands to form seals—
But then, tangible darkness solidified into ropes, binding him tightly and yanking him off his feet. He crashed to the ground, struggling futilely as he felt his chakra draining away.
"That's enough."
Kin appeared beside the fallen Hizure, his eyes narrowed into slits, a cheerful grin on his face.
"Or would you prefer to face me, Hizure-san?"
Hizure's face turned ashen. He didn't dare retaliate—he was convinced Uchiha Kin was stronger than even the legendary Sannin.
And the man seemed even stronger now.
Was there no limit to his growth?
He couldn't muster the courage to fight back.
The darkness dissipated.
"Alright, Hizure-san, let's get back to the mission."
Kin felt he might have been too harsh, so he added as Hizure slowly got up, "When I have time, I'll prepare a powerful jutsu suited just for you."
You damn bastard.
Hizure's expression darkened further.
Kin then turned to Kiyoshi, his face stern.
"Don't attack your comrades without permission, Kiyoshi."
"Yes, Lord Kin!"
Kiyoshi knelt on one knee in acknowledgment.
Though tensions simmered within the team, it didn't hinder their mission. Their group wasn't bound by something as trivial as camaraderie.
Following the mission intel, the trio arrived at the target's last known location—a devastated village. All the young men had been slaughtered, leaving only the elderly and children behind. Their money had been stolen, but most of their food remained untouched.
The villagers, consumed by hatred, readily revealed the direction the attackers had gone.
The three continued their pursuit.
Based on the clues and the map's layout, the rogue ninjas' route suggested they intended to cross the Land of Fire—their path was clear.
They tracked them to a remote canyon, the only way to the next village. Given their speed, the targets would inevitably pass through here.
"This place is perfect for an ambush," Kin remarked, eyeing the steep cliffs on either side.
No sooner had he spoken than figures emerged along the cliff edges.
"Did I just jinx it?"
Kin pinched his lips. Did he have a hidden talent for cursing things?
Over a dozen ninjas dropped to the ground, none bearing insignias from any major village.
"Just three of them?"
The leader frowned.
"Konoha really looks down on us."
"I think Konoha values you quite highly," Kin said earnestly.
Ignoring him, the leader waved his hand.
"Kill them!"
He turned to leave. They weren't shinobi from a major village—just mercenaries hired by Iwagakure. Their mission was to divert Konoha's attention.
But the results weren't as expected.
Only three opponents, none of them the legendary Sannin—how could they possibly lose?
As he pondered how else to draw Konoha's gaze, he suddenly frowned. He hadn't heard any screams or the clash of weapons behind him.
He whirled around—
And saw the corpses of his men impaled by darkness-formed tendrils, waved through the air like trophies.
His pupils shrank. He tried to flee—
But Hyuga Kiyoshi was already behind him, his palm silently pressing against the man's back.
"Eight Trigrams: Empty Palm!"
An airwave pierced through his chest from behind.
"Just rogue ninjas after all."
Kin withdrew the darkness, eyeing the corpses strewn across the ground.
With skills barely at Genin level for a major village, what had given them the confidence to ambush Konoha shinobi?
"Are rogue ninjas always this bold?"
Kin stroked his chin, then looked up at the cliff.
"Kakuzu-san."
A masked man stood at the highest point.
...
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(End of Chapter)