If one were to analyze Kamishiro Ui's behavioral patterns from the perspective of a traditional shinobi, they would find a staggering number of irrationalities. For instance, in a crisis like the one just described, the most logical course of action would be to report the situation to the officer in charge, Namikaze Minato, and wait for a strategic decision.
But he didn't.
This brings us to a fundamental question: Who is Kamishiro Ui, and what exactly does he want?
As someone granted a rare second lease on life, what is his goal? If his body had been inhabited by someone more ambitious or driven, that person might have already shouted slogans about "becoming the King of Shinobi."
But he hasn't.
Is he unmotivated? Not exactly. When it comes to things that pique his personal interest, Ui is remarkably proactive. Conversely, most of the time—no matter how momentous the occasion—he is content to be an average ninja who completes his duties with a passing grade.
To put it simply, his current state is reminiscent of the Kakashi Hatake of several years into the future; they seem to share everything except the "dead-fish eye" look. However, there is a key difference: Kakashi is lazy in peace but incredibly efficient and cautious on missions. Ui, on the other hand, maintains his indescribable, detached state even in the heat of a mission.
...Unless the mission itself interests him.
For example, he just rejected Hyuga Hizashi's suggestion to wait for Minato's contact, citing "extreme urgency." But was it truly urgent?
Of course not. He simply wanted to test his Forbidden Jutsu.
For complex ninjutsu or sealing arts, theory is meaningless without practice. Practice is the "sole criterion for truth," after all. Since mastering the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing, Ui had been itching for an opportunity to use it. Now, a perfect target had presented itself.
A pattern emerges from Ui's past and present behavior: the more interested and proactive he becomes, the more likely he is to engage in "death-seeking" (reckless) behavior.
In this instance, the situation was genuinely dangerous. To ensure he could wipe out the enemies in one fell swoop with the seal, he paraded openly above their heads and then used a provocative lightning spear to flush them out.
Could he guarantee the enemy wouldn't suspect his behavior? Could he guarantee they wouldn't realize they were exposed and launch a desperate pre-emptive strike?
He could not.
In fact, he couldn't even be 100% certain the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing would trigger correctly.
Ultimately, Ui's behavioral pattern can be summarized in one sentence: He is a ninja who acts out of pure personal interest.
He is a capricious individual. Sometimes he takes a perilous route to solve a problem that has a safe solution; other times, amidst total chaos, he produces a remarkably stable and effective fix. What Ui will do in any given situation depends entirely on the "will of heaven" and his "death-seeking index" for that day.
The Aftermath of the Void
Once the four enemies were forced to the surface, they landed directly within Hyuga Hizashi's domain. Because the strategy had been pre-arranged, Hizashi unleashed four Vacuum Palms before the enemies could even find their footing, perfectly blasting them toward the central scroll.
Despite it being their first time working together, the coordination was flawless. As Hizashi's palms retracted, Ui's final hand seal clicked into place.
The four enemies were sent flying, though not lethally wounded. Hizashi had focused entirely on delivery rather than kill-shots. While a one-hit KO would have been ideal, the lack of intel on the enemy's strength made a surgical strike risky; he chose to stick to Ui's plan.
As they hit the ground, the Rain ninjas—elite enough to be chosen for this mission—didn't dwell on the pain. They immediately prepared to counter-attack. Their captain made a split-second judgment:
1. Kill these two Leaf ninjas.
2. Signal the rest of the force that they were exposed.
3. Abandon stealth and rush the Kages at full speed.
It was a sound tactical response, but it was far too late.
All they saw was the seal held by the boy in the white mask. They couldn't see the expression behind that mask. The captain and his three subordinates lunged forward, their speed incredible. They wanted to show these two Leaf ninjas that failing to follow up on the initial attack was a fatal mistake.
However, just as they exerted their full strength to bridge the gap, the world went black.
And that was it.
Using the scroll as the epicenter, a curtain of darkness expanded instantaneously. It bypassed the laws of time and distance, forming a black sphere 200 meters in diameter. It held for two seconds before vanishing as silently as it had appeared.
It was as if the sphere had been a hallucination—except for the fact that every single thing within that radius, living or inanimate, had been utterly annihilated.
Sixteen enemy ninjas: gone.
Ui looked at the result of the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing with satisfaction. Meanwhile, Hyuga Hizashi was quietly thanking his lucky stars. His Byakugan couldn't see through that black veil, and it had expanded nearly to his very toes. If he had given in to the impulse to chase the enemies down, he would have been erased along with them.
The power was undeniable, but so was the cost. Ui's chakra was completely tapped out. He couldn't even maintain a basic summoning now.
Just as the dust settled, Minato's scheduled contact arrived.
"Hyuga-Kamishiro team, why have you disappeared from the sky?"
"The Hyuga team discovered a third party—suspected Hidden Rain—infiltrating the zone," Ui relayed through the mental link. "Four squads, sixteen people total. We descended to neutralize them. The targets have been eliminated... However, we are currently unable to resume aerial reconnaissance."
Before he could even finish the sentence, two figures appeared beside him.
Under the circumstances, Minato had used the Flying Raijin to teleport himself and his "signal tower," Inoichi, directly to the scene.
Ui felt a momentary sense of dread. He realized he had no idea when Minato had managed to plant a Flying Raijin marker on him.
From Minato's perspective, it was a necessity. Although they hadn't spent much time together, Minato had seen enough to form a judgment: Kamishiro Ui was a talented, high-potential ninja, but more importantly, he was a permanent "unstable element." He needed to be kept on a very short leash.
Minato looked at the massive, perfectly spherical crater in the desert. He quickly pieced together what had happened—Kushina had likely bragged to him before about her student being able to use a Forbidden-class Sealing Jutsu.
Minato's internal monologue was also bordering on a breakdown, but he asked the question he already knew the answer to:
"Are there any survivors for interrogation?"
"...Definitely not."
Ui's answer was exactly as expected.
"What was their formation? Were there only these sixteen?" Minato pressed.
"No survivors," Ui replied with a shrug. "How should I know?"
Minato stared at him. Was that... a hint of an attitude in his voice?
Good grief, Minato thought, looking at the crater. You're the one who dug the hole, and you're the one acting like you're the victim.