Uchiha Gen's separated soul form slipped beneath the earth the same way the Second Hokage's Edo Tensei projections once could, gliding silently for several dozen meters before rising up again. Its arc in mid-air was similar to the path Minato used during the Kannabi Bridge mission, and the moment it dropped into the material transfer station, the tether snapped back into his real body.
The instant his consciousness re-entered his flesh, Gen Uchiha activated the Hiraishin no Jutsu, and his figure vanished from the lounge with the same suddenness Minato displayed during the Third Shinobi War.
A flicker later, he reappeared at the foot of Lion's Head Mountain's west side, and without wasting time, moved straight toward the mid-slope.
Because Kirigakure's sensory division was already sweeping the entire mountain range with Kagura Shingan-style broad detection, Gen Uchiha's sudden chakra spike was picked up the instant it appeared.
"Hiss… what a powerful chakra signature."
"Yes… this level has already pushed into Kage-class."
Ever since awakening his Mangekyo Sharingan, Gen Uchiha's chakra had surged violently. The manga repeatedly shows that Dojutsu evolution creates massive increases in chakra output, the same way Itachi, Shisui, and Obito experienced. Although Gen's total reserves could not compare to natural monsters like the Senju, Uzumaki, or any jinchuriki, they were easily above standard Kage level.
And because his body was still in the rapid-growth stage similar to early-teen Sasuke before he obtained the Cursed Seal, his chakra capacity would only increase as his physique matured.
Hearing the reactions of Kondo Kunihiko and Sakata Junichi, Ghost Lantern Crescent Moon felt his chest tighten.
Aside from Orochimaru, the only one in Konoha's forward division with such pressure was the deputy commander, Uchiha Gen.
Damn it… this brat's chakra was already so terrifying at that age?
Even worse… the boy had somehow identified their hidden formation, evaded Kirigakure's standard sensory mist technique, and eliminated ten of their elites with the same silent efficiency ANBU used during the Bloody Mist era.
It was absurd.
But Ghost Lantern Crescent Moon was not intimidated. Even with ten dead, their remaining formation still had enough power to threaten a Kage-level target, especially with Kirigakure's style of coordinated Water Release.
"Where was the chakra erased?"
"At the west foot, Captain."
"It's closing in fast."
"Do you still remember each location where the signatures vanished?"
"Remember."
"All of them."
"Explain."
The two sensory ninja recounted the points one by one. Crescent Moon's face grew darker with each detail. By the end, his expression resembled the sky above the Hidden Mist during a storm front.
Every erased signature belonged to either a jonin or a tokubetsu jonin. Every one of them had been a mid- to high-level fighter in the detachment. The loss was brutal.
Had these positions belonged only to Chuunin, the unit would still have been over ninety percent confident about downing a lone Kage-level enemy.
Now they still could… but the odds had fallen sharply.
Not a single Chuunin touched? How did the enemy lock onto high-rank signatures so precisely?
"Keep full sensory coverage. Do not drop it for even a heartbeat. Konoha support will rush over the moment they sense a chakra clash."
This was the correct assumption in wartime.
Normally, even a Kage-class ninja would struggle against five jonin in open terrain, and a formation of fifteen trained Chuunin could suppress or stall them. Recklessness led to death.
Of course… there were exceptions like Minato or the Third Raikage.
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
Swish, swish, swish…
Kirigakure silhouettes landed across the mountainside one after another. Within two breaths, all seventeen survivors had gathered.
"Crescent Moon, what happened?" Vice-captain Shui Wuyuetang asked.
Ghost Lantern Crescent Moon scanned the formation. His remaining fighters truly were jonin and tokubetsu jonin. No hope for misreadings.
"Uchiha Gen found our ambush somehow, bypassed sensory detection, and killed ten of ours from behind the fog."
"None of the missing have survived."
"Everyone prepare yourselves. A hard battle is coming."
"What?" Shui Wuyuetang's face twisted with shock.
The other Mist-nin reacted sharply, counting heads, confirming the missing. Every absent slot belonged to jonin or tokubetsu jonin.
"The enemy is close."
"…Why is he circling around us?"
"He's delaying."
"Then hold your ground. Don't waste chakra. There's a trick coming."
The two sensory ninja reported again.
But in truth, Uchiha Gen was placing Hiraishin markers. To him, each marker was another iron bar in the fence of a corral. The Kirigakure forces inside were the sheep.
"Enough talk. Prepare to fight. As long as Uchiha Gen dies, the sacrifice is worth it."
Ghost Lantern Crescent Moon drew his kunai, eyes firm.
His subordinates were veterans of the long, bloody Kirigakure campaigns. They fell silent, hardened their breathing, drew weapons, and set their stances.
"The enemy is descending."
A heartbeat later, Gen Uchiha dropped from above and landed on a pale boulder, his black and silver coat flaring behind him like the Fourth Hokage's.
He rose slowly, Mangekyo still dormant but three tomoe spinning like saw-edges in his scarlet pupils, his aura sharp enough to sting the skin.
"Everyone here is surrounded by me. Why not surrender?"
The Mist-nin all turned toward the sensory duo.
Kondo Kunihiko and Sakata Junichi exchanged baffled looks.
They sensed no other Konoha chakra.
"I don't detect any Konoha support," Kondo said.
"And certainly none within our combined range," Sakata added.
"Are your heads malfunctioning?"
"I mean me. Not us."
"You people are surrounded by me alone."
"Is this so hard to grasp?"
Gen Uchiha sighed in a slow, disappointed way.
Kirigakure: "???"
One man surrounding all of them?
Whose brain was faulty here?
A thought clicked inside Crescent Moon's mind and he snapped, "He's buying time! Kill him immediately!"
The Mist-nin understood at once. Only the sensory pair retreated. The other eighteen launched shuriken and kunai in a coordinated volley.
Eighteen elites attacking at once produced a pattern similar to the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique seen in the Uchiha clan. The downpour was deadly.
But Gen Uchiha did not dodge. He drew Mu Sheng, swung sideways, then diagonally, then down. Three arcs of air pressure snapped out at once.
Vacuum Blade.
Invisible wind edges formed a woven net, clashing against metal with sharp clinks, knocking the entire volley away.
The wind net crashed down, forcing several Mist-nin to retreat fast.
Boom… Stone split. Dust billowed.
"Chuunin use tools. Jonin use ninjutsu."
Crescent Moon ordered seals, and the others instantly followed.
"Zhu Rong!"
"Yes, master!"
A red flare burst as the fire-release summon erupted forward, swelling in size and spewing a torrent of flame hot enough to slag metal on contact.
Gen Uchiha tossed Mu Sheng briefly into the air, snapped his fingers into shape, and five narrow spears of blue-white lightning shot out. They streaked toward five jonin foreheads like Kakashi's pinpoint Lightning Release shots.
The jonin panicked, canceling their jutsu and scattering. Earth shattered, soil flared, and grass charred.
Gen caught Mu Sheng again, slipped a handful of Hiraishin kunai from his pouch, and flung them across the battlefield…
Eight blades in total. Each aimed with surgical precision at a vital point, each thrown with Minato-like speed and Mangekyo-enhanced perception.
A flawless merger of hand speed and insight.
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