Konoha Frontline Medical Base.
Sora had just finished a round of physical training. He was sitting cross-legged on a large tree at the edge of the camp, eyes closed and concentrating, training his sensory ability.
He calmed his mind, spreading it outwards like ripples on water, carefully distinguishing the various chakra fluctuations carried on the wind.
The chakra of the Konoha ninjas inside the camp, either steady or slightly fatigued, the weak but stable aura of the wounded, Tsunade's massive yet subtly disordered and suppressed chakra...
And further away, the faint, primitive life force of birds, beasts, insects, and ants in the forest.
Everything seemed relatively calm.
However, just as Sora's sensory range extended to an area about four ri outside the camp, several suddenly appearing chakra fluctuations caught his attention.
'Chakra from Iwagakure... three people. Their auras are fierce, carrying killing intent? They are pursuing something?'
Sora focused his mind, directing his sensory focus towards that area.
Soon, he caught three other chakra signatures fleeing in a panic. They belonged to Konoha ninjas. One of these chakra signatures... actually carried a faintly familiar feeling.
It was a chakra texture that was cold and sharp. Although much stronger than in his memory, that unique feeling...
'Uchiha Ryota?'
Sora's eyes snapped open, a flash of surprise in them.
Since graduating early in their first year, he had met this member of the Uchiha clan no more than four or five times. Yet now, he sensed the other's presence here.
What surprised him even more was that from that urgent chakra, he clearly detected a unique Yin Release power.
It was the Sharingan! And not a one tomoe, but the fluctuation of a two tomoe!
'To think this guy actually awakened his Sharingan, and it's two tomoe. The bloodline talent of the Uchiha is really something to envy.'
'But, it looks like their team is in a bad situation, being chased by Iwa nin like a stray dog.'
Sora pondered in his heart. According to Anbu duty and discipline, his primary task was to guard Tsunade and the safety of the base. He could not leave his post without authorization to rescue an outlying team in danger.
After all, this could be an enemy trick to lure the tiger away from the mountain.
Sora's first reaction was to ignore it.
He did not care about Uchiha Ryota's life or death. Even from a personal emotional standpoint, he held little goodwill towards this Uchiha boy who had nearly killed him with a Great Fireball and was full of superiority.
'Let him fend for himself. Aren't the Uchiha always boasting about being geniuses anyway?'
But Sora quickly suppressed this sentiment, analyzing calmly:
'No, can't completely ignore it. Even though I dislike him, he is still a Konoha ninja.'
'Besides, I do have some connection with his brother, Takumi. I can't just watch him die right in front of me.'
'Furthermore, the fact that these three Iwa nin can penetrate this deep indicates there might be another gap in the front line. Their movements themselves are important intelligence. For both public and private reasons, I should go take a look.'
Thinking this, Sora stroked his chin and did not hesitate any longer.
He leaped down from the treetop and walked quickly towards Tsunade's main tent.
Inside the tent, Tsunade's face was still somewhat pale. Shizune was reporting something to her.
"Tsunade sama." Sora bowed respectfully.
"What is it, Sora?" Tsunade looked up, her voice carrying a trace of weariness hard to detect.
"Just now, while sensing the camp perimeter, I detected a three person Konoha team being pursued by three Iwagakure ninjas approximately 2 km to the southeast. The situation is critical. I request permission to go investigate and provide support as appropriate."
Hearing this, Tsunade frowned slightly and said,
"Can you confirm it's a Konoha team? Identity?"
"One of them has a chakra signature similar to a ninja from the Uchiha clan, suspected to be my classmate from the ninja academy days, Uchiha Ryota." Sora reported truthfully.
"Uchiha..." Tsunade pondered for a moment, then looked at Sora.
Although her condition was not good, her mind was still clear. Sora proactively reporting and requesting to go out indicated he had considerable confidence. Moreover, this also fit the duty of guarding the base and eliminating surrounding threats.
"Go. Be quick. Return swiftly. Be careful of your safety. If there is anything abnormal, immediately send a signal for backup."
"Yes!"
Seeing Tsunade's approval, Sora turned and swiftly left the tent.
At the same time, in the dense forest four ri away.
Uchiha Ryota and his two teammates were desperately fleeing. All three were quite injured, their clothes torn and covered in blood and grime.
One of his teammates had a leg injury, hindering movement. The other had severely depleted chakra, his face deathly pale.
Behind them, three Iwagakure ninjas clung to them like a bone deep fester, closely pursuing. They occasionally threw kunai and explosive tags, forcing them to be unable to flee at full speed.
"Ryota... you two go quickly! Don't mind me!"
The teammate with the leg injury panted heavily and shouted, knowing he had become a burden.
Uchiha Ryota growled lowly,
"Shut up! The Uchiha do not have the habit of abandoning comrades!"
His scarlet two tomoe Sharingan spun rapidly, with difficulty capturing the trajectory of attacks coming from behind and using shuriken to block.
But Uchiha Ryota's heart was filled with despair and helplessness.
After awakening his two tomoe Sharingan, his strength had indeed greatly increased. Whether in insight, copying, or seeing through techniques, he was far beyond his past self.
But the three Iwa nin pursuing them cooperated seamlessly, were experienced and crafty, all elite Special Jonin of his same level. He alone could barely manage to hold them off, but protecting two teammates in poor condition was truly beyond his means.
'Could it be... I'm really going to die here?'
A chill rose from the depths of his heart.
Uchiha Ryota thought of his clan, thought of his brother Takumi, and also thought of... that figure who had crushed him like a demon on the exam field. Sora.
Strangely, at this moment, he couldn't muster much hatred towards Sora. Instead, he felt a complex emotion.
That orphan he once looked down upon, relying on pure taijutsu and that ferocious drive, had already reached a level he needed to look up to.
The humiliating defeat on the exam field, though shameful, had also made him clearly recognize the gap and ground down some unnecessary arrogance.
'If that monster were here...'
Uchiha Ryota even unconsciously had this thought.
Just then, a figure appeared like a ghost, soundlessly, on a tree trunk to their side and front.
The newcomer wore the Konoha Anbu uniform and a common animal mask on his face. But those calm, unruffled eyes made Uchiha Ryota recognize the person instantly.
"It's... it's you?!"
Uchiha Ryota blurted out, his voice filled with disbelief and a trace of... hope he himself did not notice.
Sora's gaze swept over the three in a sorry state, finally landing on Uchiha Ryota's conspicuous two tomoe Sharingan. He confirmed it in his heart.
Then Sora said plainly,
"It seems you need help?"
Uchiha Ryota opened his mouth. He originally wanted to say "None of your business", but the words simply wouldn't come out.
In the face of a life or death crisis, that pitiful bit of pride seemed so laughable.
In the end, he only nodded with difficulty, his two tomoe Sharingan fixed tightly on Sora, carrying a trace of complexity.
The complex, hard to decipher look in Uchiha Ryota's eyes was fully seen by Sora.
But he had no time now to deal with this kid's psychological state. The urgent task was to deal with the pursuers behind them, to avoid leading more enemies near the base.
'Three Iwa Special Jonin, good cooperation, in good condition. Ryota's team of three has almost lost their fighting strength.'
'Dragging it out will only be more troublesome. End it quickly!'
Sora's thoughts flashed, and he instantly made a decision.
"Stay put."
After throwing these words to Uchiha Ryota and the others, Sora's figure suddenly vanished from the tree trunk. The next moment, he had already appeared directly in front of the three pursuing Iwa nin.
"A Konoha Anbu?"
The lead Iwa nin's eyes narrowed, sensing the dangerous aura suddenly rising from Sora, and immediately shouted,
"Be careful!"
However, it was already too late.
"Eight Gates Released Formation, Fourth Gate, Gate of Pain, Open!"
Sora shouted lowly in his heart. The chakra within his body surged violently like a breached flood! A green energy steam instantly rose from his body surface.
His speed, his strength, skyrocketed to Jonin level at this moment!
"What?!"
The three Iwa nin's expressions changed drastically. This sudden burst of power completely exceeded their expectations.
Sora did not hesitate in the slightest. The ground under his feet exploded into a shallow crater. His figure transformed into a green blur, pouncing straight at the lead Iwa nin!
"So fast!"
That Iwa nin only had time to cross his kunai in front of his chest before Sora's fist arrived!
Bam!
The kunai was smashed bent and deformed by the tremendous force. The fist's momentum did not diminish, solidly imprinting on his chest.
"Puh!"
The Iwa nin instantly flew backwards, crashed through a large tree, and slumped to the ground, condition unknown.
The other two Iwa nin were horrified. The two immediately formed hand seals:
"Earth Release, Earth Style Wall!"
"Earth Release, Stone Staff!"
However, in the face of Sora with the Fourth Gate open, these defenses and attacks seemed too slow.
Sora did not even take a detour. He directly punched the just erected Earth Style Wall!
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
📖 Like the story? Read 120 chapters ahead!
🔗 patreon.com/atomelectron
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━