In a shadowed corner, Uchiha Shion bent down and picked up a Flying Thunder God kunai lying on the ground. He glanced around calmly.
Night had just fallen, and though darkness spread over the village, the streets of Konoha nearby were still bustling with life. Shion strolled out casually, showing none of the guilt or wariness one might expect of an intruder.
"Teuchi-san, one bowl of pork broth ramen," he said.
At Ichiraku Ramen, he sat down to enjoy a steaming bowl of Konoha's most iconic dish. After paying the bill, he prepared to leave and take care of business.
But just as he was about to go, a lively voice drifted in through the curtain.
Kabuto entered the shop, laughing happily, with two children from the orphanage trailing beside him.
"This ramen is really, really delicious," Kabuto promised. "If you help the director clean the orphanage again next month, I'll bring you here again."
"Kabuto-nii, I want grilled meat! Grilled meat tastes so good!" one of the kids piped up.
"If we help again next month, will you take us for barbecue instead?" the other pleaded.
Their words made Kabuto freeze. Thanks to the Fourth Hokage, he had been able to earn a bit of money on the side, but almost all of it he still gave to the orphanage director. His pockets were stretched thin.
Hidden behind the ramen curtain, Shion pulled out some coins and handed them to Teuchi as he came out of the kitchen.
"Some kids from the orphanage will be coming in soon," Shion said softly. "One of them is named Kabuto. Please give this money to him, and just say it's from his big brother."
Teuchi chuckled. "No problem. Those brats come here often. Though, it's been a long time since I've seen you around."
Shion smiled faintly. "I've been busy lately. Rare chance to come back. I'm off."
With that, he vanished into thin air.
There was work to do—and meeting Kabuto face to face wasn't wise right now. In the current situation, even the Fourth Hokage couldn't make certain decisions. Especially when the one about to die… was the Third Hokage's lifelong comrade.
Tap, tap, tap…
The sound of quiet footsteps echoed unnaturally in the silence of the night.
"Who goes there? Halt!"
"This area is off-limits. Trespassers will be killed."
Despite the shouts, the footsteps didn't slow.
One by one, figures emerged from the darkness, surrounding Shion in the middle.
"Kill him!"
The order was curt. In Root, if a target didn't answer the first challenge, they were the enemy.
Swish!
The Root ninja who rushed forward in a blur froze mid-step, eyes widening in shock. A blade flashed across his throat, severing his windpipe. He tried to speak, but only gurgling sounds escaped before he collapsed.
"Too slow…" Shion muttered, almost disappointed. "I don't even need Flying Thunder God for this. Root—are you really only this level?"
At his words, half of the attackers instantly pulled back.
"His speed and reflexes are high. Use sealing jutsu!" one of them barked.
Hands flew through seals, chakra surging.
Clang!
Shion's long blade easily parried a strike.
"Wind Release: Wind Cutter Technique!"
A massive blade of wind slashed down at him from behind. The Root ninja pressing with his sword immediately retreated.
But Shion only sneered—and disappeared.
Swish!
In the blink of an eye, he reappeared behind the same enemy. A Flying Thunder God seal had already been marked on the man's back.
"Why would you ever think you're faster than me?"
Before the sentence even finished, his blade swept horizontally. A head fell, blood spraying across the air—yet not a drop touched Shion's cloak.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
"Wind Release: Wind Cutter!"
Flames roared, fanned by wind, becoming a searing inferno that swept toward him.
Whistle—bang!
Two shuriken spun through the air. In that same instant, Shion's body vanished. The blazing inferno devoured only empty air.
Slash!
A blade cut clean through a throat. Shisui—who had just appeared—took down the ninja who had cast the wind and fire combo. The corpse crumpled, blood pooling on the ground.
"Now!"
At the shout, the surrounding Root operatives finished their seals.
"Lightning Release: Four Pillar Bind!"
Four stone pillars erupted around Shion, arcs of lightning crawling across them until they linked, lashing his body in crackling chains.
This jutsu…
Shion tilted his head upward.
"Earth Release: Falling Cover!"
From above, a massive green stone disk materialized, plummeting straight toward him like a crushing lid.
"You think this can hold me? Even the Animal Path's hellhounds couldn't be restrained by tricks like this. What chance do you have?"
Shion shook his head slightly. As the giant disk descended, he clenched his fist and drove it upward.
BOOM!
The enormous weight shattered in a single punch, exploding into fragments.
Turning calmly, Shion swept aside the lightning bonds with one motion, tearing them apart as though they were threads.
"That kind of strength… is it similar to Tsunade's monstrous fist?" one Root whispered in disbelief.
The four who had formed the seal scrambled backward in shock.
"His power is incredible. Attack from range, test him with ninjutsu!"
Swish!
Shion flickered behind the speaker, his voice low at the man's ear.
"At this speed… do you really think distance matters?"
Slash!
Another body fell, lifeless.
Shion's eyes swept the remaining Root operatives. "Which of you knows where Danzō is? Tell me, and maybe you'll live."
Then, almost casually, he added: "Ah, but of course… with the cursed Seal of Tongue Eradication, none of you can even speak his name, can you?"
Beside him, Shisui pulled out three Flying Thunder God kunai.
Swish!
As they flew, Shion's form blurred and disappeared once again.
In the darkness, the Mangekyō Sharingan flickered red. In those two seconds, every enemy movement and reaction was captured within his gaze.
Scarlet light filled the black night. Each time Shion reappeared, blood sprayed across the air.
Thud, thud, thud…
One by one, over a dozen corpses hit the ground. Blood pooled until it streamed like a river.
CLANG!
Steel clashed against steel. Shion's gaze fixed on the last remaining Root commander.
"Two seconds," he said calmly, pressing his blade down. "That's impressive. Are you a squad leader?"
The Root ninja struggled to hold him off, peering beneath the cloak at Shion's face. His pupils shrank. "Uchiha Shion?! It's you?!"
Shion chuckled. "Surprised? Last time, I hadn't fully adapted to my new strength, and that old dog Danzō slipped away. But this time… he won't be so lucky."
The commander's eyes widened beneath his mask. "You do this without fear… aren't you afraid of Konoha?"
"Afraid?"
Shion scoffed. In a flash, the Flying Thunder God seal lit up.
Slash!
He vanished, then appeared behind the man, his blade cutting cleanly across the throat.
"When Kurama attacked Konoha, where were you?" Shion's voice was cold. "When Pain invaded, where were you? You never showed your faces then. But now, when someone strikes at you, you dare to ask if I fear for the village?"
He smirked, crimson eyes glowing.
"Truly laughable…"