Chapter 18: Arrogance
"You are?" The handsome young man before him seemed familiar.
"Lord Hokage, you've forgotten? I just graduated from the ninja academy last year and even attended your graduation speech," Yu smiled slightly.
"Ah, I'm getting old and forgetful," Sarutobi Hiruzen laughed dryly. "What's your name? Which family are you from?"
At the same time, he felt puzzled. This child had simply walked in—how had no one notified him?
"I'm Uchiha Yu, one of Fugaku's children," Yu said calmly.
Uchiha Yu? From Fugaku's family?
If Fugaku wasn't dead, could he be lying in ambush nearby?
Sarutobi Hiruzen's muscles tensed instantly, his withered palm slamming down hard on the alarm button.
A piercing alarm sounded.
But not a single guard came.
"They might not wake up for a while," Yu said casually.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's pupils contracted sharply.
Fugaku could eliminate all the guards without him sensing anything at all? Was Fugaku's strength truly that terrifying?!
"Where's Fugaku? Tell him to come out so we can talk properly," Sarutobi Hiruzen stood up, looking around warily. "There might be some misunderstanding here."
"Seems your information network is quite good," Yu suddenly appeared beside Sarutobi Hiruzen, his burning gaze fixed on the memorial announcement lying on the desk.
Every hair on Sarutobi Hiruzen's body stood on end as he retreated several meters, instantly putting distance between them.
He stared intently at the young man still browsing the memorial announcement, his heart churning like a tempest. When had this kid gotten so close? He hadn't sensed anything!
Uchiha Yu remained focused on the announcement, though his lips slowly curved upward.
"Very well written," he murmured appreciatively, casually picking up a document from the desk and waving it toward Sarutobi Hiruzen. "Though... you'll be needing these soon enough."
"Arrogant!" Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes flashed coldly. Why wasn't Fugaku showing himself? Was he using this brat to test him?
He hesitated no longer, his hands forming seals like lightning as his palms slammed toward the ground.
"Four Limbs Heavy Seal!"
Black curse marks shot out from the floor like venomous snakes, lunging straight at Uchiha Yu!
However, the young man didn't move an inch—in fact, his smile only deepened.
He wasn't even dodging?! Had he given up resistance?
The black curse marks shattered like they'd hit an invisible barrier just half a meter from the youth!
"What?!" Sarutobi Hiruzen's pupils dilated in shock. How was this possible? He hadn't even sensed any chakra release from his opponent, yet the sealing jutsu had simply failed!
He stared intently at the young man's eyes, still black as ink. The Sharingan wasn't even activated?!
"A bloodline limit that grants immunity to sealing jutsu?" the Third Hokage's voice tightened. "Who are you really?"
"I think you're the one going senile. Didn't I already tell you who I am?" Yu raised his right hand as he spoke, slowly forming a loose fist.
The hair on the back of Sarutobi Hiruzen's neck suddenly stood on end!
The cramped room would limit his movements—he had to get out, fast.
CRASH!
Glass shards scattered as the Third Hokage burst through the window and leaped onto the rooftop.
The magnetic field lines found empty air, and Yu clicked his tongue lightly.
The old man's instincts were surprisingly sharp.
But... a game of cat and mouse could be interesting too. Besides, Sasuko was already safe in the Kamui dimension.
Now, he had no restraints!
Hum.
Space warped slightly as the young man appeared on the rooftop as casually as taking a stroll.
Sarutobi Hiruzen stared grimly at this mysterious enemy.
This time, he couldn't hold back.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
The Third bites his thumb, blood tracing crimson symbols across the rooftop.
White smoke exploded as a three-meter-tall white ape appeared, beating its chest.
"Enma, restrain him!"
"Just this kid?" Enma glanced at Yu, only to find the young man watching it with an amused expression.
"Don't underestimate him!"
"Got it!"
The white ape instantly transformed into a black staff rushing toward the youth, its metallic surface gleaming with cold light.
CLANG!
An invisible barrier blocked the attack, but the staff suddenly twisted and deformed, becoming a three-meter-wide cage that enveloped the young man in the blink of an eye.
Yu remained perfectly still, as if the one trapped wasn't himself at all.
It wasn't that Yu was being overconfident. Even if his opponent somehow broke through the magnetic barrier, he still had intangibility as a trump card.
He needed more jutsu data to revive his adoptive father, and this "Professor of Ninjutsu" before him was the perfect study material.
"Excellent work, Enma."
Seeing Enma successfully lock down Yu's movements, Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes flashed. As expected of his old partner—restraining the enemy with a single move.
No time to waste!
His hands formed seals at lightning speed, index fingers pressed to his lips.
"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
"ROAR——!"
Three ferocious fire dragons roared forth, slamming into the black cage from three different directions. The scorching flames created rolling heat waves that distorted the very air.
However—
Snap.
Yu casually snapped his fingers.
Hum!
The twenty-meter magnetic field around him suddenly twisted.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The three roaring fire dragons exploded in mid-air one after another, scattering into countless sparks!
Yu's eyes gleamed with understanding.
"I see..."
He'd suspected as much before—these so-called ninjutsu were essentially using internal chakra as fuel to release different forms of energy attacks.
If that was the case, then simply disrupting the energy transmission pathways would directly neutralize jutsu without even needing to form defensive barriers.
"What?!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's pupils contracted as he watched his Fire Dragon Flame Bullet explode in mid-air while his opponent—merely snapped his fingers!
How was this possible?!
"Enemy attack! It's an enemy attack!"
In the distance, the piercing alarms and explosions finally alerted the nearby ANBU. Several black-clad shinobi appeared via Body Flicker.
Sarutobi Hiruzen spun around sharply, shouting: "Notify Danzo immediately! Gather the jonin! Regular ninja will only be walking to their deaths!"
"Yes!" One ANBU vanished via Body Flicker while the others melted into the shadows, ready to strike.
Yu didn't interfere—in fact, his smile widened.
This saved him the trouble of hunting them down one by one.
Sarutobi Hiruzen stared at the young man still composed within the cage, his heart heavy.
This guy... didn't consider Konoha a threat at all!
Either he was insane, or... strong enough to crush the entire village!
Clearly, the person before him fell into the latter category.
"Is this all the 'Professor of Ninjutsu' can do? Some common Fire Dragon Bullet?" Yu sneered, his tone dripping with contempt.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression darkened. "Such arrogance... truly fitting for the Uchiha clan's style."
"But even someone as powerful as Uchiha Madara was ultimately defeated by the First Hokage." His hunched back suddenly straightened, his aged eyes blazing with sharp battle intent.
"Today, you'll meet the same fate!"
Swish!
With hand seals complete, five shadow clones suddenly materialized, surrounding Yu completely.
"Fire Style: Great Flame Flower!"
"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!"
"Lightning Style: Thunder Roar!"
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
Five different elemental jutsu erupted simultaneously, violent energies weaving into a web of destruction, each strike rivaling his previous Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!
...
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