"Damn it—he's too fast!"
Slash!
Another head flew into the air.
---
[Killed Root Jonin ×3]
[Mission Complete: Mangekyo Sharingan power restored by 50% + Flying Thunder God formula enhanced]
[Enhancement: The Flying Thunder God formula can now be attached to any object—including an enemy's body]
---
A cool sensation spread through Azuma's eyes.
The pain vanished instantly.
His vision cleared.
---
Uchiha Azuma stood atop a tree branch, looking down at the last three Root shinobi below.
The Owl.
And two remaining Jonin.
---
Fear had finally appeared on their faces.
"Monster…" one of them muttered, stepping back. "He's a monster…"
---
Owl clenched his teeth and formed hand seals.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere!"
A massive compressed blast of air roared toward Azuma.
---
Azuma only smiled faintly.
Then—
He vanished.
---
The next instant, he appeared behind Owl.
"You—!"
Owl reacted instantly, turning with a slash.
But Azuma was faster.
---
His kunai pressed against Owl's throat.
But he didn't cut.
---
"Where is Danzo?"
---
Owl froze.
"…I don't know."
---
"You won't talk?"
The blade pressed in slightly.
Blood trickled down.
---
"I really don't know!" Owl snapped. "Lord Danzo never reveals his whereabouts to us!"
---
"…Then you're useless."
---
The blade flashed.
---
[Killed Root Special Jonin ×1]
[Reward: Chakra capacity +10%]
---
The last two Jonin broke completely—
And turned to flee.
---
Azuma didn't chase.
He simply threw two kunai.
They struck their backs.
---
The two ran several more steps—
Then noticed the faint glow on the kunai.
---
Too late.
---
Azuma appeared in front of the first.
One strike.
Clean.
---
Before the second could react—
Azuma vanished again.
And reappeared right in front of him.
---
"W-wait! I surrender!"
---
"Denied."
---
[Killed Root Jonin ×2]
[Total kills: Root Jonin ×4, Special Jonin ×1, Chunin ×3]
[Bonus Reward: Full Mangekyo recovery + Taijutsu: Shadow Leaf Dance]
---
Silence returned to the forest.
---
Azuma stood still.
Six corpses surrounded him.
---
He exhaled slowly.
Then smiled.
---
Flying Thunder God.
This technique…
Was broken.
---
He crouched beside Owl's corpse and searched it.
A small scroll.
Inside—mission records and several sealing techniques.
"…Useful."
---
He looted the remaining bodies.
Kunai.
Explosive tags.
Soldier pills.
---
Finally, he stood over Owl's corpse, staring at the mask.
"Root…"
His voice was quiet.
"This is only the beginning."
---
He turned—
And disappeared into the forest.
---
Two hours later—
Dawn had broken.
---
At the border of the Land of Fire, beside a river—
Azuma washed the blood from his face.
---
The water reflected his appearance.
Eighteen years old.
Black hair.
Black eyes.
An ordinary face—
Except for his eyes.
---
The Double Tomoe rotated slowly.
Deep within—
The Mangekyo pattern lurked.
---
He raised his hand.
Less than twelve hours since transmigration.
Over a dozen kills.
Mangekyo awakened.
Flying Thunder God mastered.
---
And yet—
That child was dead.
---
"Sora…"
Azuma whispered.
"I'll send Danzo to you."
"…Along with the Third Hokage. The elders. Everyone involved."
---
He stood and looked across the river.
---
Beyond lay the Land of Rice Fields.
Further east—
The Land of Hot Springs.
The Land of Frost.
A chaotic world.
A world without Konoha.
---
He stepped into the river.
Water rose past his ankles.
His knees.
His waist.
---
At the center—
He stopped.
---
Then turned back.
---
Toward Konoha.
---
That was where his hatred lay.
Where his enemies lived.
---
"…Wait for me."
---
Ding!
[Main Mission Phase 1 Complete: Escape from Konoha]
[Rating: S]
[Reward: Chakra capacity +50% + Random S-Rank Ninjutsu ×1 + Mangekyo enhancement]
---
[Draw complete]
[Obtained: Sealing Jutsu — Four Symbols Seal (Proficient)]
[Mangekyo Enhancement: Amaterasu & Kagutsuchi Chakra consumption reduced by 30%]
---
Azuma didn't stop.
He stepped onto the opposite shore.
---
The Land of Fire.
Konoha.
The Uchiha clan.
---
He would not return.
---
Unless—
He returned with blood.
---
…
Three days later.
---
Land of Rice Fields. Border town.
---
Azuma stood on a hill, overlooking the broken settlement below.
This small nation, wedged between larger powers, had long been a battlefield.
Poverty was everywhere.
Its only industries—
Taverns.
Brothels.
Black markets.
And the Underground Bounty Exchange.
---
He touched his chest.
Several Konoha headbands.
Taken from Root corpses.
---
In places like this—
They were worth money.
---
Right now, he needed everything.
Rest.
Food.
Information.
---
And this town had all three.
---
He took a breath—
And walked in.
---
Mud streets.
Crooked wooden houses.
Drunken men leaning against walls.
---
The moment he entered—
Eyes locked onto him.
Suspicious.
Hostile.
---
Azuma ignored them.
And walked straight ahead.
---
The Bounty Exchange…
Was always hidden.
Behind taverns.
Casinos.
Places like this.
---
He stopped before a shabby, nameless tavern.
Pushed the door open.
---
Inside—
Seven or eight men.
All dangerous.
All watching.
---
Azuma walked calmly to the bar.
---
The bartender—
A one-eyed old man—
Glanced at him lazily.
"What'll it be?"
---
"Looking for someone."
---
The old man's eyes sharpened slightly.
"Who?"
---
"The junk collector."
---
Silence.
---
Then laughter broke out.
"Kid, you even grow your hair yet?"
"You think this is a playground?"
---
Azuma said nothing.
He pulled out three Konoha headbands—
And slammed them onto the counter.
---
The laughter stopped instantly.
---
The bartender picked them up.
Examined them carefully.
Then looked back at Azuma.
---
"Anbu headbands…"
"You killed them?"
---
No answer.
Just silence.
---
After a moment, the old man nodded.
"Follow me."
---
He opened a side door.
A staircase led down.
---
At the bottom—
An iron door.
---
Inside—
A dim basement.
A fat man sat behind a table, flipping through a ledger.
---
"Boss. Customer."
The old man stepped aside.
---
The fat man looked up.
A flicker of surprise.
"So young…"
He grinned.
"What are you selling, kid?"
---
Azuma tossed the headbands onto the table.
---
The man inspected them.
Even sniffed the blood.
"Fresh. Within three days."
He nodded.
"Anbu Special Jonin. Three hundred thousand each."
"Nine hundred thousand total."
---
He counted out the money.
---
Azuma didn't take it.
---
"I want information."
---
The man raised a brow.
"That costs extra."
He pulled five bills back.
Left four.
---
"Four hundred thousand for intelligence."
---
Azuma accepted without hesitation.
---
The man leaned back.
"Konoha's in chaos."
"The Uchiha were wiped out. Official story—rebellion suppressed."
He smirked.
"But anyone with sense knows the truth."
---
Then—
He leaned forward.
---
"There's one interesting detail."
---
"Konoha has issued a bounty."
---
"For a surviving Uchiha."
---
"Thirty million."
---
Azuma's eyes flickered.
---
"Thirty million…?"