"Lady Mito…?"
"Y-you…!"
The flush on Sarutobi Hiruzen's face drained away, leaving it ashen and lifeless. He had never imagined that Uzumaki Mito would stab him in the back at such a critical moment.
Weren't you the one who said you'd deal with the Uchiha?
At this point, even if he somehow defeated Uchiha Nan, Hiruzen was certain Mito still wouldn't stand on his side. She would side with the Senju—without hesitation.
Hiruzen swept his gaze across the room, eyes bloodshot.
So many high officials gathered here, yet not a single loyalist of Konoha.
Not one person willing to honor the Hokage's final will.
Uchiha Nan bared his teeth in a grin.
Right now, Hiruzen looked like a man who had triggered the isolated and helpless status effect—just waiting to be slaughtered.
"Sarutobi Hiruzen, if you don't have the guts, then get the hell down already," Nan said coldly, staring straight at him. "Don't waste everyone's time."
Nan genuinely didn't want Hiruzen to back out.
The blood debt of the Uchiha—from another world—Hiruzen had to bear his share of it.
"Fine," Hiruzen said through clenched teeth. "Then we'll settle this properly!"
At this point, retreat was no longer an option. Even if he died, he would die on the road to becoming Hokage—otherwise, how could he ever face his teacher, Senju Tobirama, in the afterlife?
"Excellent."
"Let me make this clear in advance," Nan continued calmly. "In a ninja duel, blades and jutsu show no mercy. If someone dies, it's because they weren't good enough."
"Everyone present—bear witness."
Nan's three-tomoe Sharingan spun open as he fixed his gaze on Hiruzen, like a predator locking onto its prey.
A sharp intake of breath rippled through the room.
Nan intended to kill.
Yet no one stepped in to stop it. No one said a word about 'stopping short of lethal force'.
Fighting over the Hokage seat—how was that any different from princes fighting over the daimyo's throne?
Brothers killing brothers. Kin slaughtering kin.
That was normal.
This was a fight to the death, not a dinner party.
Hiruzen accepted.
At this point, there was no road back.
The scene shifted to the dueling grounds.
Uchiha Nan and Sarutobi Hiruzen stood facing each other.
Hiruzen kicked off the ground, his body shooting forward like a drawn bowstring. Several shuriken appeared in his hands as if by magic, all flying straight toward Nan.
"Showing off," Nan scoffed.
He moved with ease, dodging fluidly, completely unconcerned by the incoming blades.
Under the dynamic vision of the three-tomoe Sharingan, Hiruzen's movements looked like slow motion.
Now's my chance!
Hiruzen grinned.
As Uchiha Kagami's former teammate, he'd sparred with Uchiha countless times. He knew the Sharingan well.
Nan's careless dodging had given him exactly the opening he needed.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"
In an instant, a single oversized shuriken multiplied into more than a dozen.
Nan's paths of retreat—front, back, left, right—were completely sealed off.
"It's over!"
Hiruzen's face lit up with triumph.
In that moment of impending victory, Tobirama's teachings surfaced in his mind.
Arrogance is the Uchiha's fatal flaw.
Tobirama had spoken more than once of how he'd personally killed Uchiha Izuna, Madara's younger brother.
Feign weakness.
Uchiha with Sharingan had grown so arrogant toward kunai and shuriken that they dismissed them outright. Exploit that arrogance—and strike when they least expect it.
Tobirama had always spoken of Izuna's death with pride. A feat he could boast about for a lifetime.
"Magma Release: Scorching River Rock Technique!"
Nan spat out spheres of molten lava, instantly melting every one of the massive shuriken flying toward him.
Magma Release possessed extreme heat and corrosive power far beyond ordinary Fire Release—iron weapons dissolved like paper.
"What?!"
The smile froze on Hiruzen's face.
Magma Release?
Hiruzen had followed Tobirama across the shinobi world and seen countless bloodline limits. He knew exactly how terrifying Magma Release was.
Scalding heat.
Violent corrosion.
Touch it, and flesh melted.
Without immediate medical treatment, wounds would fester, rot, and eventually kill the victim in agony.
But… how could Nan use Magma Release?
Wasn't the Uchiha bloodline limit the Sharingan?
The spectators were equally stunned.
What kind of monstrous luck did the Uchiha have?
They already possessed the strongest bloodline limit in the shinobi world—and now Magma Release as well?
Did this mean future Uchiha could wield two powerful bloodline limits?
Were the Uchiha the Sage of Six Paths' actual biological sons?
Was heaven really this biased?
Six Paths Sage—this is unfair!
"How do you have Magma Release?!"
"This isn't fair!!!"
Hiruzen roared at Nan, jealousy burning him from the inside out.
Nan, possessing two bloodline limits, made Hiruzen's envy burn purple-hot.
Hiruzen knew better than anyone how difficult it was for a ninja without a bloodline limit to rise to the top.
Give him either one, and he'd soar.
Nan had two.
"Magma Release: Lava Binding Technique."
Nan had no intention of answering.
He wanted Hiruzen dead.
Yellow-brown molten lava poured from his mouth. The moment it touched the ground, it solidified. Any enemy who touched even a little would be nailed in place.
"Damn it!"
"Damn it!!!"
Hiruzen fled in panic, chased relentlessly by Nan's Magma Release, daring not slow down even slightly.
If he did, the fight would end instantly.
"You relying on bloodline limits—what kind of skill is that?!"
"If you've got guts, fight me in taijutsu!"
Hiruzen shouted as he ran, furious and desperate.
This was cheating!
One person with two bloodline limits—he'd never even heard of such a thing!
Idiot.
That single word surfaced simultaneously in the minds of everyone watching.
If you don't use a bloodline limit, what do you use?
That's heaven's gift to ninja!
Fight taijutsu instead?
If a problem can be solved with ninjutsu, why the hell would you fight bare-handed?
Are you sick in the head?
This was Tobirama's chosen successor?
With mental fortitude this fragile?
They were jealous of Nan, sure—but that didn't stop them from despising Hiruzen.
Hiruzen was panting heavily now, gasping for breath, his steps slowing despite his stubborn persistence.
Nan's lips curled into a cruel smile.
It was about time.
Killing Hiruzen by pinning him in place with ninjutsu would be boring.
Nan preferred this—
When prey was nearly exhausted but still struggling to escape.
Like Genji playing with a mouse.
Toying with it.
Draining it completely.
Only then—devouring it bit by bit.
Nan had spent too much time with Genji and picked up a few habits himself. It was a way to vent his inner frustrations.
But not today.
This wasn't the time.
This was a performance—
A show put on for every shinobi clan in Konoha.
Advance Chapters available on Patreon
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