Just like the many times Root had used sensory ninjutsu before, the one Yamashiro Aoba cast wasn't particularly advanced.
The chakra waves passed through your body without resistance. Thanks to the isolation provided by your sealing technique, they didn't react with your own chakra at all—passing through you as if you were just a normal person. No different at all.
You couldn't help but breathe a silent sigh of relief.
But then, Yamashiro Aoba suddenly furrowed his brow, as if his sensory ninjutsu had touched upon something unusual. You watched as he quickly formed hand seals and summoned a massive flock of crows.
Hearing the flurry of birds cawing non-stop outside the carriage, a thought struck you. You immediately reached out mentally to Boss Black Cat and urged him to get far away from the caravan as fast as possible.
Boss Black Cat retreated, but the crows Aoba had summoned didn't leave. Instead, they circled the convoy once, then descended and landed on the three carriages near the back of the group.
The foremost of these three was the one you were in. The other two were also filled with slaves—though from who knows where—just at different price points.
Several shinobi stepped forward, lifted the canvas from the carriage, and tore away the black cloth covering the cages. Harsh beams of flashlight-like spotlights pierced the darkness and shone into the interior. You, like the other slaves, instinctively curled up at the sudden glare.
A few samurai charged forward with blades drawn to stop them, but they were quickly knocked down. Under the orders of the ANBU, the laborers traveling with the caravan began hauling out all the cages.
At that moment, the head guard was called aside by Yamashiro Aoba into a nearby patch of woods for questioning.
Your heart sank.
There was a good chance he might sell you out just to save his own neck—even after taking two million ryō in exchange for helping you escape. You quietly rolled onto your side and slipped your hand over a broken bowl lying on its side. Hidden beneath it was a bundle of senbon—the only weapon you had right now.
Then, under the stark lighting, a familiar figure stepped into view.
You could vaguely make out his silhouette. That silver hair, the mask, and the lone eye—it was unmistakably the Copy Ninja: Hatake Kakashi.
You watched as he slowly pulled up his forehead protector, revealing his left eye. A brilliant crimson glow emanated from his Sharingan, its three tomoe swirling ominously.
You knew the sealing technique you had placed on yourself wouldn't fool that eye. It may have looked like an ordinary three-tomoe Sharingan, but you were certain it was a Mangekyō in disguise.
Just as you prepared for a desperate last stand, Kakashi's gaze unexpectedly shifted—not to you, but to the last carriage.
Inside that large cage was a shinobi from Iwagakure. All four of his limbs had been severed, and Kakashi immediately decided to take him into custody.
But at that moment, the vice-captain suddenly broke free, rushed over, and brandished an official decree from the Daimyō of the Land of Waves.
"This prisoner is a special request from the client. Everything else can be discarded, but not him!"
Kakashi's Sharingan flickered.
A moment later, the vice-captain's eyes went blank—he'd fallen under a genjutsu.
"Shit," you muttered under your breath.
Then, taking advantage of everyone's attention being focused on the Iwa-nin and the vice-captain, you drew your senbon and silently launched them toward the distracted vice-captain and a few nearby chunin.
"Watch out!"
Kakashi, catching the glint of the senbon from the corner of his eye, tried to warn them—but it was already too late.
In the dark, without exceptional dōjutsu, it was nearly impossible to detect senbon in flight. They were thinner than hair and made almost no sound as they cut through the air.
What's more, your senbon were infused with Fire Release chakra. A single hit would be enough to render someone incapable of moving.
Clang! Clang!
Namiashi Raidō swung his ninja blade with lightning reflexes, deflecting the senbon aimed at him purely on instinct. But the surrounding chunin weren't so lucky. They collapsed one after another, clutching wounds now seared with fire.
You let your chakra flare outward, dropping the pretense. With a surge of strength, you shattered the narrow iron cage around you.
Then, you spat out a Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu directly at Kakashi.
Dodging a few projectiles flying from the shadows, you channeled chakra to your feet and used a Body Flicker Technique to instantly close the gap to Namiashi Raidō.
Clang!
A heavy metallic clang rang out. Raidō's black blade smashed through your entire bundle of kunai in one brutal swing, the shards grazing the side of your face. Had you not activated your Sharingan in time, his poisoned blade would've surely left you crippled.
Still, as you looked at the cleanly severed senbon, you couldn't help but mutter inwardly,
That's one hell of a blade...
Suddenly, a sharp pain lanced through your left leg.
You glanced down and saw a senbon embedded in your ankle—fired by one of the ANBU hidden in the woods.
Even with your Sharingan, you couldn't see behind you. Fortunately, it wasn't infused with elemental chakra. Though the wound stung, it wouldn't hinder your movement—at least not yet.
You raised your gaze to lock eyes with Raidō.
But he swiftly turned his blade sideways, breaking your line of sight. Then he slashed downward, following your line of vision.
Unfazed, you adjusted mid-motion. With a flick of your left hand, you sent the remaining senbon blazing toward the ANBU in the woods—using the brilliant Fire Release glow to blind them temporarily.
At the same time, you slammed your right fist toward Raidō's abdomen.
Then came the terrifying part—
Your right hand suddenly ignited. Fire engulfed half your body.
Bones charred black.
Raidō's blade came down on your burning right side, slicing into exposed bone—but not before your scorched fist, radiating heat and fury, crashed straight through his stomach.
Boom!
As everyone around stared in shock, you snatched the black blade from Raidō's slackening grip—and in one clean motion, severed his head from his shoulders.
You had intended to sever your own burning right side to stop the flames, then vanish into the night—but before you could move, Kakashi appeared right in front of you.
Boom!
He ignored the blade and punched you directly. The sheer force sent you flying backward, blood spewing from your mouth as you crashed to the ground, barely managing to brace yourself with the blade.
Your broken body trembled.
This was the first time you truly understood how far you still were from being an elite jōnin.
Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!
Panic clawed at your thoughts—How do I escape Kakashi?—but then a sudden burst of clarity struck you.
Despite your ruined right arm, you instinctively formed a single-handed seal.
A fireball roared from your mouth, aimed directly at Kakashi's face.
Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!
He fired one in return—larger, denser, and stronger. It swallowed your flames whole, engulfing your entire body in a blazing inferno.
As the fire devoured you, you realized—even if you somehow survived, you'd end up captured by Root... and likely handed over to Uchiha Itachi.
You made your choice.
You poured every last drop of chakra into your burning body. Fire Release chakra transformation enveloped you entirely.
You would meet the flames with flames.
The Uchiha were born in fire—and if necessary, would die in fire as well.
Several powerful Water Release jutsu surged toward you.
But your blazing chakra condensed into a shield of steam. Using that moment of cover, you unleashed a suicidal strike no Konoha shinobi had ever seen—cutting down another Water Release user right in front of Kakashi.
Moments later, all that remained of you was a scorched, skeletal corpse standing stiff and lifeless at Konoha's gates.
You are dead…
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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