Chapter 66: A Grand and Deceptive Entrance
"Huo Dun: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
"Huo Dun: Phoenix Sage Fire!"
The four shinobi at the front of the delegation unleashed their jutsu in near-perfect unison. A roaring dragon of fire twisted into the sky, only to be met by a burst of flames that scattered into a flock of fiery phoenixes. To a distant observer, it looked like the two techniques were locked in a spectacular, artificial battle. But upon closer inspection, the flames were carefully controlled, weaving together in a dazzling, non-destructive aerial display.
As the group continued their march toward the Uzumaki compound, the four shinobi maintained the spectacle. When one grew tired, another would seamlessly step forward, their hands forming seals to keep the fiery dragons and phoenixes dancing against the darkening sky. It was a show of power, a declaration of the Uchiha's strength and chakra reserves meant to impress—or intimidate—their hosts.
For Uchiha Raizen, it was an unexpected opportunity. Finally, some ninjutsu to pick up, he thought, his system automatically absorbing the glowing orbs of spent fire-nature chakra that drifted down like embers from the display.
Ding! Congratulations, Host. You have successfully completed 800 consecutive days of pickup. Obtained: Intermediate Gift Pack.
The system's mechanical voice echoed in his mind just as he finished his twenty-first and final pickup of the day.
Eight hundred days… It's been a long time coming. "System, open the gift pack," he commanded silently.
Congratulations, Host. You have obtained: Substitution Scarecrow.
That's it? A wave of disappointment washed over him. He had been diligent, scrounging for every orb of chakra and low-level technique for over two years. And his reward was a single scarecrow? The Substitution Technique was a basic academy jutsu; what special use could a scarecrow possibly have?
"Nothing else?" he grumbled internally. "Fine, whatever." With a mental sigh, he stored the unassuming scarecrow in his personal system space, making a note to examine it later.
By now, the chakra of the ten shinobi taking turns was nearly depleted.
"Elder Raizen," Uchiha Senna said, falling into step beside him with a bright, conspiratorial grin. "The spotlight is yours now. I know you can copy anything. We're almost at the Uzumaki gates. Time for the grand finale."
"You're a clever one, aren't you?" Raizen replied, a genuine smile touching his lips despite his earlier annoyance. He had a fondness for Senna. Where Madara was brooding and intense, Senna was charismatic and sunny, beloved by nearly everyone in the clan for his easygoing nature. His strength was nothing to scoff at either—he was a bona fide Elite Jōnin. Of course, he still couldn't compare to a monster like Madara, who was already brushing against the Kage-level threshold, but few could.
Raizen raised a hand, his Sharingan already active, having memorized the chakra flow and hand seals.
"Huo Dun: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet! Huo Dun: Phoenix Sage Fire!"
Without a single hand seal, the two powerful techniques erupted from him simultaneously, the fire dragon larger and the phoenix flames more numerous and vibrant than any that had come before. The display roared to new, breathtaking heights, painting the evening sky in brilliant shades of orange and red.
Inside the main hall of the Uzumaki compound, the clan leadership watched the approaching spectacle.
"The one leading that display now must be Uchiha Raizen, the one who's made a name for himself recently," remarked Uzumaki Bikiyo, a senior elder. "And the one who can use ninjutsu without seals is likely Uchiha Senna."
"Uchiha Raizen…" mused the Uzumaki Patriarch, his fingers steepled. "He is an enigma. It's as if he appeared from nowhere just over two years ago on the battlefield against the Hyūga. His capabilities are largely unknown." He glanced at another elder. "Even the Senju claim to have little information on him. We must be observant during his visit. If Mito—"
"Enough," the Patriarch cut him off sharply, silencing the name.
At that moment, the booming fire display ceased, and the Uchiha delegation arrived at the main gate. Of the original twenty-plus shinobi maintaining the jutsu, only five still had significant chakra remaining.
Raizen shook his hand theatrically, as if trying to cool his fingers. "Whew, that's enough. My hands are practically smoking."
Senna clapped him on the shoulder, laughing. "Alright, alright. I'll buy you a drink when we get back…"
Their casual banter was cut short as the massive gates of the Uzumaki compound began to creak open. From within, a formal procession emerged, led by the Uzumaki Patriarch himself.
"Uchiha Madara," the Patriarch's voice boomed, carrying across the courtyard. "You have come for the bridal ceremony…"