Human thoughts had inertia, and Hayashi had always assumed his true enemy was Madara, lurking in the shadows.
But that assumption proved wrong.
Ignoring the darkness within the Village had been his gravest mistake today.
Even if he had misjudged, leaving was not an option.
Hayashi and Uchiha Yama had carried a grudge for years, buried but never resolved—until now.
Orochimaru's last letter had urged him to seize the moment to control the Uchiha Clan, yet as long as Yama lived, Hayashi had no chance to influence anything.
Now, with Yama coming directly to Hayashi—clearly intent on assassination—it was, in the young ninja's mind, a rare opportunity.
Yama claimed knowledge of Kagami's death. Hayashi felt little personal connection to Kagami, yet the man was still his father's body's original parent. Avenging him, if possible, would not be out of the question.
As for why Yama came alone, Hayashi concluded either madness or the awakening of the Mangekyō Sharingan. Madness seemed unlikely, leaving the Mangekyō as the plausible explanation. If true, Yama's reckless behavior suddenly made sense.
The Mangekyō was forbidden knowledge; even in Konoha, let alone the wider ninja world, only a select few were aware. Deployed mid-fight, it could decide battles instantly.
From Yama's perspective, Hayashi was an orphan who, despite training under Orochimaru, had never faced such a power. Surprise would be his ally, and victory nearly certain.
Pity for Yama—Hayashi was a transmigrator. If Yama relied on shock tactics, he would be sorely disappointed.
The only unknown was the precise ability of Yama's Mangekyō. Each one was unique.
With that in mind, Hayashi surged forward, Lightning-natured Chakra propelling him with blinding speed.
Yama vanished just as he moved.
The collision of the two forces shattered the ground beneath them. Kunai met chakra, and the terrain tore apart under the sheer intensity of their clash.
A single, fluid exchange followed. Hayashi snapped his elbow up, deflecting Yama's probing strike, then hooked the chief's left arm and spun him around to slam him into a massive tree.
The recoil launched Yama back, yet he landed with the precision of a trained predator, rebounding almost instantly.
His fist struck Hayashi's shoulder, sending him ten meters backward, and the tree shuddered under the impact, showering snow around them.
Before Hayashi could regain his balance, Yama descended from above, a hammer-like force behind his strike.
"Serpent Shadow Reach!"
Four black snakes shot from Hayashi's sleeves, coiling midair. He planted himself firmly, and the momentum of his next step cratered the ground. Pivoting, his heel smashed into Yama's chest, yet the impact dissolved into smoke at the last moment.
Hayashi's gaze rose. Yama had finished his hand seals, and a fireball had appeared seemingly from nothing.
It began small, no larger than a fist, rolling lazily forward. Then, as if untamed, it thundered into a sphere three meters wide.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
The blazing sphere carved a trench through the snow and earth, twisting toward Hayashi with lethal intent.
Hayashi countered immediately, spitting a jet of flame three meters long.
The two attacks collided in a fiery explosion, a miniature mushroom cloud rising between them.
Yama was pushing fifty, yet his reflexes, chakra, and stamina still carried the weight of experience. Against Hayashi's youth and raw talent, his strength alone could not dominate.
As the Great Fireball Technique began to be overwhelmed, Yama's right eye, previously closed, snapped open.
Not the familiar three-tomoe Sharingan, but a sinister tri-petal design.
"Amaterasu!"
Black flames erupted, consuming the Fire Release instantly. Hissing and curling, they surged toward Hayashi like a living tide.
Amaterasu bore down relentlessly. Hayashi narrowed his eyes. He hadn't expected Yama to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan and wield Amaterasu. Truly, this was the hereditary might of the Uchiha Clan.
Still, he did not falter. Though Amaterasu's combat power rivaled the Great Fireball Technique, it remained a physical Ninjutsu. Respect, yes—but fear, no.
"In that case, I'll finish this quickly."
Hayashi's body glowed with Chidori Current, lightning crackling around him, bird-like shrieks tearing through the air. He was not just unleashing raw power—he was seeking extreme speed.
"Eight Gates Formation: Third Gate, Gate of Life—open!"
The legendary taijutsu technique, long coveted, now surged within him. Trained daily under Duy, he had mastered the basics and refined the art.
Opening the third gate, the Gate of Life, green aura radiated outward as speed and power doubled. Stamina recovered rapidly, and muscles surged with barely contained force.
Chidori Current: Form Three. Lightning-natured chakra and the taijutsu boost combined, surpassing even the fastest hidden ace techniques.
Hayashi lunged. His right leg bent, then snapped straight, propelling him at top speed, body skimming the ground.
Yama's gaze flicked frantically, yet Hayashi spun and darted, dodging each black flame.
He vaulted, arced, and crashed down with mountain-splitting force. Yama had not expected this speed; before he could react, Monster Strength Fist sent him flying like a broken kite.
Three cycles of movement, ten seconds in real time, nine seconds of footwork—but one second of impact was enough.
Hayashi closed his right hand around Yama's throat, assuming the fight was finished.
Yet Yama, bloodied and smiling, spoke softly:
"Got you…"
Before Hayashi could react, instinct screamed danger. He hurled himself backward.
Yama's left eye shifted into a new Mangekyō pattern, a tomoe-cross unlike any seen before.
Two different Mangekyō patterns in one person—a first in the ninja world.
Hayashi avoided direct eye contact, but it was too late.
His body froze. Arms slackened. He sank into a dreamless, paralyzing sleep.
"Genjutsu: Taikojin!"
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