Chapter 32 — The Cunning Iwa Ninja
"Just a few days ago, we were fighting each other… and now we're working together. The world really does move in strange ways."
Obuya and Uchiha Shisui moved swiftly through the forest canopy, leaping from one towering tree to another with seamless coordination. Their movements were light, controlled, and almost silent—yet beneath that calm exterior lay a mission soaked in danger. Somewhere within this forest, an elite shinobi of Iwagakure awaited. And when they finally met, only one side would leave alive.
Obuya's gaze swept across the dense forest ahead, sharp and constantly adjusting. "It took us an entire day to reach this area. I just hope that Iwa ninja hasn't already moved on… otherwise, this trip will have been for nothing."
Shisui glanced sideways at him, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "You've been pushing the pace this whole time," he said lightly, though there was an edge of observation in his tone. "That kind of urgency… it doesn't feel like you're just here to complete a mission. Feels more like you're chasing something."
He paused briefly before adding, half-teasing, "Almost like money."
Obuya's expression tightened ever so slightly.
Shisui wasn't entirely wrong—but he was far from the truth.
This wasn't about money, nor was it about merit or recognition. Obuya had only one goal: to kill that Iwa shinobi and claim his bloodline limit. Only through that could his own strength take a decisive leap forward.
The two continued deeper into the forest. The trees grew denser, their massive trunks stretching high into the sky, blotting out most of the sunlight. Shadows layered upon shadows, and the air itself seemed to grow heavier.
At last, they arrived at the location marked on the map.
Obuya slowed to a stop, crouching slightly as he scanned the surroundings. Every detail—wind direction, broken twigs, displaced leaves—was carefully noted.
"Are you certain this is the exact location?" he asked quietly.
Shisui nodded without hesitation. "There's no mistake. Even if there's a margin of error, it wouldn't exceed ten meters."
Obuya blinked. "Ten meters?"
Shisui remained composed. "That's already within engagement range. He's not a stationary target—he won't stay in one place. If anything, I'd say he's somewhere nearby, observing… or setting up a trap of his own."
The forest fell into silence.
The rustle of leaves, the creak of branches, even the faint shift of air currents—all of it became magnified as they listened.
"What exactly did the intelligence report say?" Obuya asked, a trace of dissatisfaction in his voice.
"Only that the target would appear somewhere in this region. Nothing more." Shisui's lips curved slightly. "More importantly… you said you had a way to lure him out. What is it?"
Obuya's expression shifted, a faint smile forming.
"It's simple."
Before Shisui could react, Obuya moved.
Lightning chakra surged violently through his body, crackling around his arms. In a single motion, he grabbed Shisui and hurled him forward like a projectile.
At the same time, a mass of blue lightning condensed in his palm, rapidly shaping itself into a beast-like construct. Its tail extended outward like a whip of pure electricity, while the main body pulsed with destructive energy.
Shisui's eyes widened. "What are you—?!"
He immediately activated the Body Flicker Technique, his figure vanishing and reappearing several meters away. But the lightning construct pursued him relentlessly, its tail snapping through the air like a hunting predator.
"Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Jutsu!"
Shisui countered without hesitation, completing his hand seals mid-motion. Three massive dragons of flame surged forward, twisting violently as they collided with the incoming lightning.
Boom!!
The clash erupted in a violent explosion. Fire and lightning intertwined, sending scorching heat and crackling energy tearing through the surrounding trees. A plume of smoke rose into the canopy as sparks scattered in all directions.
Shisui landed, clearly annoyed. "What exactly are you trying to do?!"
Obuya lowered his hand, the last remnants of lightning dissipating as a calculating smile appeared on his face.
"You said you wanted to draw him out, didn't you?"
Shisui paused, then narrowed his eyes slightly as realization dawned.
"…You're using the commotion to bait him."
"Exactly," Obuya replied calmly. "An explosion like that—combined with a Fire Release technique from Konoha—there's no way he'd ignore it. If you were in his position, wouldn't you come take a look?"
Shisui let out a quiet breath. "Under normal circumstances, maybe not. But given the current war…"
His words cut off abruptly.
A sharp sound sliced through the air—too fast, too precise to be natural.
Shing—
Both of them tensed instantly.
"Huh… two Konoha brats."
The voice came from ahead.
A tall, gaunt figure stepped out from between the trees. His sunken cheeks and jagged hair gave him a skeletal appearance, but the confidence in his posture—and the killing intent radiating from him—was unmistakable.
"You couldn't find somewhere else to die?" he sneered. "Fine. Since this is war… I'll send you off myself."
His fists clenched as he surged forward, his movements swift and aggressive.
Obuya and Shisui exchanged a glance.
If they hadn't known about his Explosion Release, they might have met him head-on. But with that knowledge, neither of them made such a reckless move.
Instead, they struck first—attacking while retreating, forcing him into their rhythm.
"Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Jutsu!"
Shisui unleashed the technique once more, three blazing dragons roaring through the air.
At the same time, Obuya's lightning construct surged forward again, crackling violently as it closed in.
Gari showed no intention of evading.
He stepped forward and threw a punch.
Boom!!
The three fire dragons shattered instantly, exploding into fragments of flame. The resulting shockwave blasted outward, reducing nearby trees to splintered ruins within a ten-meter radius.
Without pause, his next punch collided with Obuya's lightning construct.
Boom!
The impact detonated with terrifying force. The lightning beast was obliterated, its energy dispersing violently into the air. Yet Gari's arm remained largely unharmed, save for a faint numbness that quickly faded.
"Interesting… I've never seen lightning used like that," he muttered, glancing briefly at his hand.
His Explosion Release allowed him to detonate anything he struck. That slight numbness was the only consequence of clashing with Obuya's attack.
"Iwagakure's Gari… your life ends here!" Obuya said coldly.
Beside him, Shisui's Sharingan spun to life.
With a single focused glance, he cast a genjutsu, aiming to seize control of Gari's senses in an instant.
"Sharingan!"
For a split second, Gari's expression shifted—confidence giving way to sharp alertness.
Then, without hesitation, he turned and fled.
His retreat was immediate and decisive, his speed surging to its peak as he vanished deeper into the forest.
Shisui's eyes widened. "He ran?!"
There was no hesitation, no attempt to counterattack—only a clean, calculated withdrawal.
In that instant, both of them understood.
Gari had seen through the situation.
He knew they had come to assassinate him.
Shisui clenched his teeth, confusion flashing across his face. "How… how did he break my genjutsu so quickly?!"
Obuya didn't respond.
He moved.
A bolt of lightning shot forward, tearing through the air with blinding speed and striking Gari squarely in the back.
In the next instant—
Gari's body collapsed… and shattered into debris.
Shisui's expression changed immediately.
"…No. That's a substitution!"
The realization hit them both at once.
At some point during his retreat, Gari had already switched places with a decoy—escaping their killing blow without them even noticing.