"That's the Sharingan!"
Nakadō's eyes widened as he recognized the scarlet glow in Uchiha Jinzō's eyes, a lone tomoe spinning slowly across the red.
The Sharingan — the most infamous name tied to the Uchiha.There were few in the shinobi world who didn't know it.
But Jinzō, who had awakened his Sharingan by accident, didn't look thrilled. His teeth clenched, his voice bitter."Really ought to thank you for this…"
If awakening his Sharingan meant nearly dying in a fight like this, he would rather have gone without it.
Because the truth was simple: Jinzō hated death.
And his body right now looked like something dragged straight from Hell — skin scorched black in places, raw red in others, parts flayed so badly his organs were practically visible.
Top ten tortures of the shinobi world, right here.
The pain was overwhelming, only dulled by adrenaline flooding his system. If he didn't treat this fast, the Shinigami would be waiting with open arms.
Jinzō sucked in a ragged breath."Liuku Immortal Thief…"
His chakra drained rapidly — and his ruined skin began to knit itself back together. Within seconds, his entire body surface had healed smooth.
Precaution had saved him.Without this technique, he would've already been a corpse.
Nakadō narrowed his eyes, watching. "This regeneration… only Tsunade of Konoha should have something like this. Yet this boy—" He clicked his tongue. "A second one exists."
Jinzō didn't give him time to think. He flexed his burned wrist, and from the ragged cuff, a small white snake poked its head out. It opened its mouth wide — and slowly drew out the Kusanagi sword.
His partner, Xiaobai, had retrieved the blade he'd lost earlier.
"Round two," Jinzō muttered.
Nakadō slammed his hands together."Earth Style: Stone Dragon Jutsu!"
The ground erupted, a massive dragon of rock tearing free from the forest floor and lunging toward Jinzō.
The Uchiha's crimson eyes tracked its every movement. The tomoe spun, chakra flow becoming crystal clear."I see you."
An Earth Clone — the Nakadō in front of him dissolved into soil.
The dragon roared down. Jinzō gripped his sword, sparks sparking from his mouth as he exhaled. His chakra shifted, igniting into flames.
"Breath of Fire—Form Four: Flaming Serpent Spiral!"
The blade ignited, spiraling flames twisting into a fiery helix as he slashed forward.
The fire collided with the dragon. Flame and stone clashed, molten magma bursting outward in the shockwave. Jinzō leapt back, dodging the spray.
But his eyes narrowed—he'd seen something below."Didn't I tell you? I can see you!"
He lunged, his blade erupting in brighter fire. Sparks licked his lips."Breath of Fire—Form Three: Flame of All Creation!"
He brought the sword down in a blazing arc, cleaving the ground itself. The strike revealed Nakadō's hiding place below.
The enemy's body melted into clay, the rest burning to ash — revealing the detonating tags hidden inside.
"Tch. Always another damn trap." Jinzō snarled, slicing through them before they could explode.
Nakadō appeared again, singed but still fighting. His glare hardened."This Uchiha… too dangerous. Sharingan, regeneration, taijutsu, kenjutsu… any one of these could make a jōnin. But all together—" His lips curled. "An evil Uchiha indeed."
Jinzō slammed his foot down, flames spiraling up around his entire body. The ground beneath his feet cracked, burning long after he moved.
Nakadō blinked—Jinzō was already on him."Breath of Fire—Form Seven: Shiranui!!"
His flaming slash cut down——only for the ground to collapse beneath him. A hidden pit. Cloth stretched like a trap, spikes of stone waiting below.
"Damn it! Tricked again—!"
Above, Nakadō's seals were already complete."Earth Style: Great Sealing Jutsu!"
The sky darkened. A colossal slab of rock appeared above, crashing downward with crushing force.
An A-rank jutsu. Even a Kage would struggle to escape it.
"This is what it means to face a jōnin," Nakadō sneered.
Jinzō's face twisted. The pit below bristled with deadly stone spikes, the rock above loomed heavy as doom.
Nowhere to go.
But he wasn't the kind to just roll over."Liuku Immortal Thief—Iron Form! Open the Gate!"
His muscles strained, body blazing with chakra. He roared defiance."I don't believe you can kill me!!"
Flames spiraled tight around his body. He leapt, transforming into a roaring fire dragon."Breath of Fire—Form Nine: Purgatory!!"
The flaming dragon smashed against the falling rock, carving a glowing scar across it. The stone burned red-hot—yet it didn't break.
"Useless," Nakadō said coldly. His chakra poured in, pressing the rock harder and harder.
Jinzō's strength faltered, flames flickering out. He plummeted onto the spikes below. Blood sprayed.
Still, he glared up at Nakadō."Next time we meet… it's your death."
"There will be no next time!" Nakadō shouted, his chakra surging.
The massive stone crushed down.
Jinzō tore open his sleeve, revealing a tattoo etched into his skin — his last resort, a reverse summoning prepared for escape.
But before he could trigger it—
"Wind Style: Gale Palm!!"
A sudden gust tore through the battlefield.
"DIE A HUNDRED TIMES OVER!"
A crimson figure shot down — Kushina Uzumaki, chains whirling around her arms, her chakra blazing. She slammed toward Nakadō with a ferocity even Tsunade wouldn't take head-on.
"Earth Clone!" Nakadō's body shattered into mud, retreating far away with a grimace.
Minato and Kushina landed at Jinzō's side. The massive rock above cracked apart, chakra supply severed.
Jinzō let out a ragged laugh, lowering his unused tattoo. "Hah. Guess I don't need that after all."
Kushina snarled at him, chains rattling. "Don't be an idiot! We don't abandon our comrades!"
Minato scratched the back of his head, sheepish. Pretty sure she's supposed to yell that at the enemy, not him…
"Whatever makes you happy," Jinzō sighed, already turning his eyes back to Nakadō.
The boulder finally slammed into the earth behind them, the battlefield shaking. Dust rose.
And from it, Jinzō strode out of the flames, sword at the ready. Minato and Kushina flanked him.
Team 7 stood united.
"Round three."
They charged as one. Sword and kunai slashed, Kushina's chains snapping forward, the three forcing Nakadō on the defensive. Even when he knocked one back, another was there instantly.
Kushina soared high, her foot crashing down."Heaven-Crushing Kick!!"
The ground shattered beneath her strike, rocks scattering like shrapnel.
Jinzō saw his chance. Flames roared along his blade."Breath of Fire—Form Five: Flame Tiger!"
A blazing tiger erupted from his swing, the wind swelling its size until it towered above them, unstoppable.
Nakadō's eyes widened. No time left.
The flaming beast swallowed him whole.