"Tch!"
Seeing the four people who had suddenly appeared, Sora sized them up with interest, then said with a smile:
"I was just wondering when you'd finally jump out. Couldn't hold back anymore, huh?"
Hearing this, the Root ninja in the lead narrowed his eyes slightly and said in a deep voice:
"So you noticed us long ago. What powerful perception. It seems everyone has underestimated you."
"Looks like you have no intention of obediently coming with us. In that case, we'll have to use force."
In the next instant, all four Root ninja drew their blades and charged at Uchiha Sora.
A moment later, the ninja swords in their hands pierced through Sora's limbs.
Naturally, they had not gone for the kill. Danzo had specifically ordered them to bring him back alive.
To avoid unnecessary complications, the best choice was to temporarily cripple Sora's limbs and strip him of the ability to move or resist.
The strike landed.
Then—
Mental Genjutsu · Labyrinth World!
"Not good!"
In the next instant, all four of them turned pale.
"This is… genjutsu? When did we get caught?"
At that moment, Sora bared his white teeth in a brilliant smile.
"Of course you were already under my genjutsu from the very beginning."
"So this is all an upper-level jōnin's mental strength amounts to? I have to say, I'm a little disappointed."
These four were all jōnin.
Clearly, Danzo had put real effort into abducting him.
And yet…
It could only be said that Danzo was truly a good man.
"I just so happen to be quite interested in the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal as well. You delivered yourselves right to my door."
"Besides, I'll need your cooperation for quite a few experiments afterward. Four extra jōnin test subjects couldn't be better."
Sora said all this with a smile, but his words sent chills down the four Root ninja's spines.
"Damn it! Don't look down on us! Release!"
In the next instant, the four of them used the standard method for breaking genjutsu, forcibly creating a violent chakra disturbance inside their bodies in an attempt to free themselves.
But it had absolutely no effect.
"Why didn't it work? What kind of genjutsu is this?"
The four stared at their unchanged surroundings in disbelief, unable to accept it.
Even against the genjutsu of a Kage-level illusion specialist, that method should have worked just now.
Just what was this Uchiha Sora?
Was this little monster really only three years old?
"Heh."
Sora smiled faintly.
"Because from the very beginning, this genjutsu wasn't targeting chakra at all. It's a true mental genjutsu."
"I have to say, you're quite fortunate. Since I created this mental genjutsu, you are the first real test subjects. You should be proud."
"Alright. It's time for you to come with me."
Hearing that, the four suddenly felt their vision go black, their consciousness sinking into darkness.
Proud my ass!
At the final moment before their consciousness completely faded, the exact same sentence flashed through all four of their minds.
Thud! Thud!
Then, in the real world, the bodies of the four of them collapsed to the ground at the same time, unconscious.
Shadow Clone Technique!
In the next instant, Uchiha Sora formed a seal with one hand and created four shadow clones.
He had the four clones use the Transformation Technique to become adults. Then, one by one, each clone first cast a sealing technique on one of the Root ninja, temporarily sealing away their chakra.
Only after that did they hoist the four Root ninja onto their backs and, with a few swift leaps, disappear from the area.
Wind Release · Gentle Breeze Across the Face!
Sora's main body formed another seal. A light breeze spread outward from him in all directions, blowing away every last trace and scent left behind.
Then he put both hands behind his head, hummed a cheerful little tune, and continued walking toward the Uchiha clan compound.
…
Inside the enormous underground laboratory beneath Sora's home—
"Who are these people?"
Uchiha Masayuki, who had been helping improve this underground experimental lab, couldn't help asking in confusion.
Judging by their aura, they were all jōnin.
"Danzo's Root ninja. They came to attack the main body, but got dealt with instead. From now on, they're our test subjects."
One of Sora's shadow clones answered.
"What?!"
Hearing that, Uchiha Masayuki's expression changed dramatically. His face immediately darkened as he glared at the four men, rage surging within him.
"That bastard Danzo. We haven't even gone looking for trouble with him yet, and he's already come looking for trouble with us. He's actually set his sights on you. What the hell is he trying to do?"
At that moment, Masayuki had the urge to rush out and kill Danzo on the spot.
"Calm down."
At that moment, Sora's main body walked in and raised a hand toward his father in a placating gesture.
"Now isn't the time to make a move against him. The timing still isn't right. Let's wait a little longer. Sooner or later, we'll deal with him."
"That old bastard doesn't want anything complicated. He just wants to capture me, force me into Root, brainwash me, and turn me into his tool."
"He might even be waiting to snatch my eyes once I awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan."
"That's about all he's thinking."
There was no need for careful guessing. Sora could more or less infer it all.
Hearing this, Uchiha Masayuki narrowed his eyes, veins bulging at his forehead, and growled:
"That damned bastard really deserves to die. Son, when the time comes, you have to leave him to me!"
"If I don't kill him, the fury in my heart won't settle."
No one was allowed to set their sights on his son.
Especially not this son.
Uchiha Hao: "...???"
So love really does disappear, right?
If it were me being targeted, you definitely wouldn't be this angry, would you?
"Heh. Fine."
Sora smiled, touched, and gladly accepted his father's affection.
Then he stepped forward and reinforced the seals on the four Root ninja.
After that, he placed three of them into separate dark rooms and locked them up securely.
Then he used genjutsu to wake the remaining Root ninja.
Controlling him, he made the man open his own mouth and pull out his tongue, stimulating it with chakra so that the full formula of the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal was revealed before Sora's eyes.
"So this is the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal you mentioned before—the technique Danzo uses to control people?"
Uchiha Masayuki stepped forward as well, curiously leaning in to examine the seal formula.
"Mm."
Sora stared at the formula with full concentration. At the same time, he used his spiritual power to probe the seal's complete internal structure, nodding as he said:
"I've wanted to properly study this for a long time. This opportunity just came at the right moment."
There were also some sealing techniques stored within the Uchiha clan's hidden archives.
Naturally, with the level of authority Sora possessed, he could access most of them.
Over the past two years, he had gradually mastered them one after another.
Previously, because he had no chakra, he had never actually used them.
But during the last three-plus months, Sora had always kept one or two shadow clones busy studying and learning these ninjutsu and sealing techniques.
The only unfortunate thing was that Sora had discovered his shadow clones could not share in his heaven-defying Comprehension.
Otherwise, his learning progress would have gone even farther than it already had.