At first, Shin did not realize what Yuu was trying to do.
It was not until the formula around his throat loosened slightly that he understood. He immediately snorted and spoke indistinctly,
"Brat, you actually know about the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal… But don't waste your effort. How many years have you even been a ninja? And you dare challenge that lord?"
"Good grief, now he's pulling rank…"
Yuu ignored him and continued breaking the seal.
Although the Binding Seal Formula was only a basic technique among the many sealing arts, occupying a position similar to the Great Fireball Technique among Fire Release ninjutsu, being basic did not mean it was inferior.
Furthermore, the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal was essentially a derivative of the Binding Seal Formula. Having the latter oversee its removal was a perfect match of expertise.
Soon,
Shin felt a sharper pain deep within his throat, as though countless red-hot needles were stirring inside it, causing him to retch instinctively.
But what followed was an indescribable terror.
The chakra formula rooted deep in his tongue, which had constantly restrained him like a maggot clinging to the bone, suddenly became faint and weightless.
It was as though something had shattered with a crack.
A sense of freedom he had never experienced before instantly filled Shin's mouth, causing his pupils to contract violently.
"This…"
Impossible!
Absolutely impossible!
There had been cases in Root's history where someone implanted with the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal later had the formula removed.
However, such cases were extremely rare, and every time, Danzō himself had personally withdrawn the seal.
No one else had ever accomplished such a thing.
If it had been Sarutobi Hiruzen or one of the Sannin, that would at least make sense.
But…
how could a mere brat accomplish this?
Could this boy's mastery of sealing techniques actually surpass Lord Danzō's?
Was that reasonable?
Shin's pupils trembled violently. He felt as though his entire worldview had suffered a tremendous impact.
Across from him,
Yuu looked at the black symbols fading from Shin's tongue and nodded slightly.
"Alright. The technique restraining you has been removed. No need to thank me.
"You're free now, so hurry and say whatever you want to say. Of course, if you're determined to die, I can grant that wish too."
"…Free?"
Shin repeated the word, then suddenly curled his lips into a mocking smile.
"Hmph. Brat, how many years have you even been a ninja? You've only been outside the village for a few days, yet you dare talk so arrogantly about 'freedom'?
"Ninja are tools meant to complete missions. The only difference between you and us is that one operates in the light while the other works in darkness. Don't think too highly of yourself…"
"Yes, yes. I kneel before your seniority."
Yuu truly could not be bothered to listen to the man's nonsense. He interrupted him directly.
"My patience is limited, so I'll ask one final time.
"Other than monitoring my movements, what mission did Danzō give you? Kirigakure's sudden surprise attack tonight shouldn't have anything to do with him, right?"
Honestly,
the second half of Yuu's question had merely been asked casually.
He knew Danzō was a petty man with a vicious personality, ruthless methods, and paranoid thinking.
However, the man still possessed a certain degree of loyalty toward Konoha.
Logically, he should not go so far as to collude with Kirigakure, which was already formally at war with Konoha, in order to attack ninja from his own village.
That would be far too despicable.
At most, he might have ordered Root to secretly eliminate isolated Uchiha.
That was certainly possible.
After all, Shisui had died that way in the original story.
But…
when Shin heard the question, his body stiffened, and a trace of inexplicable guilt appeared on his face.
"Wait…"
Yuu's eyelid twitched.
Noticing the subtle change in Shin's expression, he immediately continued questioning him.
"This attack really is connected to Danzō?!
"He borrowed Kirigakure's blade to kill members of the Uchiha clan?!"
This time,
Shin did not respond with the same intense mockery as before.
After a brief silence, he avoided the question.
"Instead of wasting time interrogating me about meaningless matters, you should hurry back and rescue those Konoha ninja!
"If you hadn't abandoned your post, Kirigakure wouldn't have dared launch a surprise attack!"
Mm…
In truth, Shin had not entirely agreed with the plan.
After all, leaking Konoha's defensive arrangements along the southeastern line would harm not only the Uchiha but other ninja as well.
Even though Danzō had called them "necessary sacrifices," Shin was still a member of Konoha and could not avoid feeling sympathy for those who might die.
He simply had not dared speak because of his position.
And now…
at least regarding this incident, Shin hoped Yuu would return quickly and reduce Konoha's losses.
On the other side,
Yuu found the answer he needed in Shin's reaction.
Good grief…
Yuu could only call it unbelievable.
He knew Danzō wanted to deal with the Uchiha clan.
He also knew that the reason Danzō had pushed for the Uchiha to join this reinforcement force was to weaken them.
But…
to eliminate the unstable Uchiha within his own village, he had actually been willing to collude with Kirigakure, which was already formally at war with Konoha?
What kind of "secure the interior before resisting foreign aggression" plot was this?
Why not simply accuse the Uchiha of "illegally resisting Kirigakure" and kill them all?
Yuu released a long breath.
Although he still did not know the exact details of what Danzō had done during this incident, what he had already learned was enough to send a chill through him.
At the same time, intense killing intent quietly surged within him.
Danzō's moral bottom line was even lower than Yuu had previously believed.
The man had completely lost his mind.
Today, he could collude with an outside village to kill the Uchiha.
Tomorrow, because of a personal grudge against Yuu, he might target Mikami Tajima and his wife, Might Duy, or others inside the village!
Therefore,
to prevent future danger, Yuu had to find a way to kill him.
Otherwise, Danzō would remain a time bomb inside Konoha, capable of exploding at any moment.
However, this was not something that could be accomplished immediately.
It required careful planning.
The Root ninja codenamed Shin was an important witness.
After thinking briefly, Yuu struck the back of Shin's neck with a hand chop, knocking him unconscious.
Under the current circumstances, there was little value in continuing the interrogation.
The most urgent priority was to resolve the crisis first. He could settle the full account afterward.
"Faster… Mm, I'll call you Black Wing!"
Yuu patted the feathers along the giant eagle's neck and spoke rapidly.
"Ten o'clock, approximately one hundred and forty kilometers away. Destination: Shakuka Town!"
"Screech—!"
The giant eagle released a piercing cry.
Its enormous wings pressed down violently, producing a fierce current of air. Its massive body transformed into a gray bolt of lightning that tore through the night sky.
Its speed increased sharply as it raced forward!
Yuu stood upon the eagle's back, his white hair whipping wildly in the fierce wind while his robes snapped loudly.
Before his eyes, endless forests and the occasional lights of villages blurred into streams of light that rapidly receded behind him.
…
The night was as dark as ink.
Near a small watchtower beside a river along the southeastern border of the Land of Fire,
seven or eight ninja wearing Konoha forehead protectors stood with their backs against a cliff.
Nearly all of them were wounded. They struggled to remain standing while nervously watching the dozen-plus Kiri ninja surrounding them from the opposite side.
The leading Konoha jōnin appeared fairly old.
His entire body was covered in blood. His left arm was twisted unnaturally, and a deep sword wound cut across his face, reaching the bone.
Blood even covered one of his eyes.
Yet his gaze remained resolute.
"Cough… Listen carefully!
"Breaking through is already impossible. Our mission now is to hold these Kiri ninja back until the final moment and inflict as many casualties as possible…
"Even if we only delay them for fifteen minutes, we must buy time for our comrades elsewhere!"
As he spoke,
the Konoha jōnin swung the badly chipped ninja sword in his hand and shouted loudly, as though experiencing one final burst of strength.
"Konoha ninja do not fear death!
"Grip your kunai! Fight until the final moment, then cut your own throats and return to the heavens!"
"Yes, Captain! We'll take them down with us!!"
The young Konoha ninja tightly gripped their weapons, already prepared for the worst.
Across from them,
the Kiri ninja looked at the trapped Konoha squad as though staring at prey caught in a cage.
They raised their swords and kunai with savage smiles.
"Konoha scum, stop struggling! Tonight, this place will become your gra—"
Before the word "grave" could leave his mouth,
something unexpected happened!
Everyone present heard a piercing sound cutting through the air from above.
One moment, it seemed extremely far away.
The next, it was already close.
Its speed was unbelievable.
The Konoha and Kirigakure ninja, who had been confronting one another and preparing for a final clash, simultaneously raised their heads toward the sky.
A massive, blurry black shadow rushed toward them like a meteor falling from the night!
"What is that?!"
"It looks like a bird… but isn't it far too large?!"
"Scatter! Hurry and scatter! It's diving straight at us!"
As they shouted,
the shadow had already arrived.
Its enormous wings stirred violent winds, sending dead branches, withered leaves, stones, and dust soaring into the air.
Everyone below was forced to narrow their eyes.
Then they saw a white-hot "meteor shower" pouring down from above the shadow!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The crimson streaks were kunai and shuriken wrapped in blazing flames.
They tore through the dark night with shrill whistles, dragging long fiery tails behind them.
And their tips were aimed directly at the numerous Kirigakure ninja!
Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Nail Crimson!
"Not good… Dodge!"
The Kiri squad captain's eyes widened as he roared.
But it was already too late.
Yuu and the giant eagle had arrived too quickly, and the attack covered too broad an area.
Although several Kiri ninja raised their swords and attempted to block or dodge, they were still struck by the burning kunai and shuriken.
The high-temperature flames instantly erupted, transforming them into living torches!
"Ahhh—!"
"My eyes!"
"Fire! I'm burning!"
Screams instantly rang out one after another.
A handful of Kiri ninja reacted more quickly and barely avoided being struck in their vital areas by the flame-covered ninja tools.
However, the most lethal part of this attack was not the kunai or shuriken.
It was—
Rip!
Bang! Bang!
The instant the giant eagle swept low across the ground, it suddenly extended both talons.
Using the momentum of its dive, its massive body passed just above the earth and seized two Kiri ninja.
The armor covering their bodies offered no resistance against the eagle's blade-like talons and was torn apart immediately.
Another Kiri ninja was struck by the giant eagle's right wing.
His entire body flew backward as though hit by a siege hammer. Screaming, he smashed into a tree more than ten meters away.
When he slid to the ground, his chest had already collapsed inward horribly, and it was impossible to tell whether he was alive or dead.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye.
From the first sound cutting through the air, to the rain of flaming kunai, and finally the giant eagle's thunderous strike…
the entire process lasted less than ten seconds.
"A-a monster…"
A Kiri ninja who had narrowly survived, but whose face was covered in the blood of his companions, looked at the corpses of more than half his squad scattered around him and felt terror rise in his heart.
The Kiri squad leader struggled up from the ground.
He stared at the enormous eagle shadow already climbing back into the sky and rapidly flying toward Shakuka Town without slowing.
Then he saw the white-haired figure standing upon its back.
He screamed uncontrollably,
"It's him… It's him!"
"It's Konoha's White Reaper! He's here! He's here!!"
"Run!!"
The few Kiri ninja who could still move were terrified out of their minds.
They abandoned even their comrades' corpses, turned around, and fled into the depths of the forest, rolling and stumbling as they ran.
They only wished their parents had given them two extra legs.
On the other side,
the Konoha squad that had already prepared to die stood completely dumbfounded.
The middle-aged captain leaned against his ninja sword, his right eye fixed on the direction where the giant eagle had disappeared.
His mouth hung slightly open, and his expression contained both shock and confusion.
The younger ninja beside him also remained frozen like statues.
Their faces displayed a mixture of surprise, wild joy, awe, and many other complicated emotions.
"C-Captain… was that one of ours just now?"
"…Yes."
Another chūnin answered.
"It was him—Mikami Yuu, the 'White Reaper'…
"I never expected the legends to be true! He saved us!"
Killing one person every ten steps, leaving no trace across a thousand li…
Although they did not know where that giant eagle had come from, the impression Yuu left upon these Konoha ninja at this moment was almost impossible to describe.
He had not even descended.
He had merely struck casually while passing overhead, yet the enemy force capable of annihilating their entire squad had been shattered.
"He's too powerful! He was practically like a god!"
At this moment,
the middle-aged captain finally recovered.
Looking at the burning corpses on the ground, he took a deep breath.
"Quickly! Everyone rest here, treat your wounds, and recover as much chakra as possible…
"In fifteen minutes, we depart and assist our comrades at the other strongholds!"
"Yes, Captain!"
This time, the Konoha ninja's voices carried much greater determination.
…
High in the sky,
Yuu sat cross-legged on the giant eagle's back.
His gaze pierced through the layers of darkness and looked toward Shakuka Town in the distance.
From this far away, he could vaguely see a mass of flickering firelight, seemingly the traces of the ongoing battle.
"Hold on a little longer…
"I'm almost there."