Qianyu and the four Uchiha had located their target. The squad of Cloud ninja was camped by a river, seemingly taking a rest.
"You four can move out when you're ready," Qianyu told the Uchiha.
Keiichi Uchiha wore a pained expression. "Captain, Jinno's wrist and leg are still injured. The odds aren't good if just the four of us ambush that squad."
Qianyu's voice was flat. "First, it's an order. Second, blame Uchiha Kazuo. If he hadn't pissed me off, I wouldn't bother with you. But he did. I'm pissed. So. You know."
The four Uchiha's faces darkened.
They knew?
They didn't want to know!
It was Uchiha Kazuo who pissed him off! The one who started it should be the one to pay the price! Was it really okay to take it out on them so blatantly?
Qianyu vanished with a Body Flicker.
The four Uchiha sighed in unison.
What choice did they have? They had to grit their teeth and do it.
They began sneaking toward the resting Cloud ninja.
High up on a tree branch, Qianyu watched them from above.
He was using them to vent. But he couldn't let them die here. Not only did they have to survive, but he also had to ensure they didn't suffer major injuries in the fight. Giving them a hard time and abusing power for personal revenge were two different things. So, a scare was fine. Actual harm was not. Otherwise, he'd be in trouble. Orochimaru would be in trouble.
…
The four Uchiha crossed the river, closing in on the Cloud squad.
The Cloud ninja noticed nothing. Still resting.
From their hiding place in the water, the four exchanged a look. Time.
Kyosuke Uchiha burst from the water. Kunai and shuriken flew toward the Cloud ninja.
Keiichi and Ryuhei formed hand seals. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
Two fireballs exploded among the enemy.
The ambush worked beautifully. Two Cloud genin couldn't dodge in time, taking several kunai and shuriken hits. The twin fireballs finished them off. Another chunin was wounded.
The Cloud ninja rallied fast, charging at Kyosuke and the others.
Kyosuke yanked his hand back. Transparent wires pulled taut—each wire strung with exploding tags. Every projectile he'd thrown was rigged. The Cloud nin saw the burning tags, eyes widening, scrambling back.
BOOM!
Dust and debris erupted. Another Cloud genin died in the blast.
Jinno Uchiha, who had stayed hidden, appeared before a Cloud chunin. The tomoe in his Sharingan spun. "Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique!"
A genjutsu unique to the Sharingan's vision. The target, trapped in a constructed mental world, felt their body pinned by giant iron stakes—immobilized.
The Cloud chunin stood frozen. Jinno drove a kunai into his heart.
As the smoke cleared, the two groups faced each other. The ambush had been devastating. Three genin, one chunin—gone. Only seven Cloud nin remained. The Uchiha four were unscathed.
But the ambush phase was over. Now it was a straight fight. The Uchiha held no advantage. They were still outmatched. The enemy had four chunin, two genin, and one Special Jonin.
The Special Jonin stared at their eyes, stunned. "Four Uchiha?! All of you! Take them out! Don't look at their eyes!"
The seven Cloud nin charged as one.
The Uchiha four scattered with practiced coordination. Staying together was a disadvantage now. Forcing the enemy to split up was their only hope.
Keiichi and Jinno moved as a pair. Of the four, Keiichi was the weakest chunin, and Jinno was injured. They drew several pursuers.
Ryuhei lured several more.
The three fought a desperate retreat.
The strongest, Kyosuke, faced the Special Jonin alone.
"Cloud Style: Rising Dragon!"
The Special Jonin shot forward, short blade in hand, driving his elbow toward Kyosuke's head.
Kyosuke crossed his arms, blocking. The jonin shifted instantly, reversing his grip, stabbing at Kyosuke's chest. Kyosuke kicked out—a solid front kick. The jonin blocked with his left arm but was forced back a step. The blade's tip still pierced Kyosuke's chest. If he hadn't kicked in time, it would have gone straight through.
"Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique!"
Kyosuke spat a straight line of high-speed flame. The Special Jonin evaded with a substitution jutsu. Kyosuke's Sharingan tracked the real one, already behind him. He bent backward, the blade whistling past his face, and tried to create distance.
"Cloud Style: Flying Blade!"
The Special Jonin leapt back, swinging his blade. An arc of lightning shot toward Kyosuke. He blocked with a kunai. Electricity coursed through the metal. His arm went numb.
Seeing the opening, the Special Jonin pressed his advantage. A relentless, rapid-fire assault. Kyosuke was forced purely on the defensive, struggling to breathe.
Things weren't going well for Ryuhei, Keiichi, and Jinno either. All were being pushed back.
Besides the initial ambush casualties, the remaining seven Cloud nin had only suffered minor, non-crippling wounds. The Uchiha four, however, were all bleeding from various cuts.
Pushed back relentlessly, the four Uchiha were forced together again.
"What now? The gap in numbers and strength is too big!"
"Did he really abandon us?"
"How could he… This is too much!"
"Is this it?"
Qianyu still hadn't appeared. As the Cloud nin closed in, despair settled over the four Uchiha.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
Read up to (50+ ) advanced chapters on Patre\on
Visit us here: patreon.com/GoldenLong
Happy reading, everyone!