The chūnin in front of him had already given up resistance.
Uchiha Tatsumi closed the distance in an instant. He swung his kunai, its light flashing as it aimed for the enemy's neck. But then, a sudden fluctuation of chakra rippled through the air from a distance.
Explosions erupted around Uchiha Tatsumi without warning. A scream filled the air as the shockwave sent debris flying in all directions.
The smoke slowly cleared, revealing a boy around fourteen or fifteen years old, walking out from the haze with a stern expression.
His yellow hair stood upright, and his face was darkened with anger. Tatsumi, who had avoided the explosion using a substitution technique, looked at the boy and shook his head with a smirk.
"You're really sneaky," Tatsumi remarked. "Using your comrades to distract me, only to strike at the critical moment."
The boy's expression remained cold. "You're no better. You noticed me right away. Pretended to be oblivious just to lure me in."
Tatsumi clicked his tongue. "Who would've thought that you'd sacrifice your teammate's life without hesitation. Is this how Iwa Shinobi are trained? To kill their own without a second thought?"
The boy's eyes flashed with annoyance. "What do you know, kid? As a ninja, I'm prepared to die for the mission. If I kill you, it's just to avenge my comrade."
Tatsumi's grin widened. "Makes sense. But in that case, you can go and explain it to your teammate yourself."
"Have we met before?" the boy asked, his voice low. "A Konoha ninja. Why else would you attack my team with only three people?"
"Does it need to be said?" Tatsumi sneered. "I'm killing you to avenge your teammate."
The boy chuckled bitterly before turning his attention to his comrades still engaged in battle. "A bunch of trash. They can't even handle three little kids."
Tatsumi saw the boy's arm starting to heat up. Was that his bloodline ability? Burst, maybe?
"I hope you make it interesting, kid," the boy taunted as he slammed his fist into the ground, causing the earth to shake. A massive hole formed as the ground rushed toward Tatsumi.
Tatsumi leapt away from the attack, but the boy was quick. He raised his left fist, which was now surrounded by hot, glowing chakra. The color of the red light was faintly visible, and his fist crackled with power.
Kunai appeared in Tatsumi's hands. He threw them in an attempt to block the boy's attack, but the kunai shattered instantly as an explosion rang out. Tatsumi was sent flying, his body tumbling through the air like a kite.
This power... at least C-rank level ninjutsu? And it's instant. Tatsumi quickly analyzed the situation.
As he spun in the air, the boy stretched out his arms, launching two kunai toward Tatsumi like cannonballs.
Tatsumi quickly threw two kunai of his own, and the four kunai collided in midair with a loud clash.
It was the first time Tatsumi had seen kunai used with such power. The boy's throwing was based on manipulating chakra through precise control. Tatsumi, however, relied on his own subtle manipulation of chakra, while the boy's technique seemed tied to his bloodline ability.
The boy didn't seem fazed by the exchange. He charged directly toward Tatsumi.
Tatsumi quickly activated his Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, sending a clone into action. The boy's attack halted abruptly, and a barrage of shuriken rained down on him.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone!" Tatsumi called out.
In an instant, the shurikens multiplied, filling the air and heading straight for the boy. But the boy was unfazed. He broke the illusion with ease and saw the incoming shuriken with a look of disdain. Without any panic, he swung his fist forward, causing an explosion that blocked the shuriken with a shockwave.
In that brief moment, Tatsumi created enough distance to regroup.
The boy's explosive power was troublesome. Tatsumi's physical abilities were impressive, but his physical endurance was still that of a regular shinobi. A direct hit from this attack could be fatal.
He didn't have the same monstrous defense as someone like Raikage. The boy's Burst technique was dangerous and capable of instant destruction. If he allowed the boy to get close, it could be over.
So, Tatsumi decided to keep his distance and focus on long-range strikes.
Making up his mind, he quickly completed a series of hand seals.
"Doton: Hōbi Kōdo (Earth Style: Yellow Spring Marsh)!"
The ground beneath the boy shifted, and his feet sank into the soft, swampy earth.
The power of this jutsu depended on the size of the chakra used. Tatsumi didn't invest much chakra into it, knowing it wouldn't be as powerful as other elemental jutsu. The swamp's effect was weak.
The boy broke free effortlessly, sneering at the technique. Most Iwa Shinobi had mastered the earth style, and this technique was at most chūnin level—barely worth the chakra spent.
Tatsumi didn't let it faze him. He quickly went through another set of hand seals.
"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu (Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu)!"
The boy's expression faltered. He had just seen a weak Earth-style jutsu, and now Tatsumi was using Fire-style in the rainy environment of the Land of Rain.
This fireball wasn't much to worry about. The boy could easily block it with his fist.
Still, cautious of the situation, the boy didn't attempt to block it directly. He slammed his right hand into the ground and shouted, "Doton: Tuliu no Tate (Earth Style: Earth Wall)!"
The fireball condensed toward the boy, but just as it neared, the fireball expanded rapidly, growing larger and more powerful than expected. What had started as a simple C-rank jutsu now felt like a B-rank attack.
How is this possible? The boy thought, shock written on his face.
And just as the fireball neared, the Yellow Spring Marsh beneath him suddenly ignited.
The swamp was like a detonation trap, and it exploded in an instant, engulfing the boy.
Tatsumi chuckled to himself. You can't just treat a swamp like any other swamp. The essence of the Yellow Spring Marsh is... swamp gas.
What happens when flames meet biogas? It's pure black tech. The combination of Fire Style with the swamp gas created a devastating explosion.
Whoever said studying chemistry and physics isn't useful in ninjutsu? Tatsumi thought with satisfaction.
As the smoke cleared, Tatsumi approached. Lying in a huge pit was the boy, his clothes torn and his body bloodied beyond recognition.
At this point, it was impossible to tell whether he was alive or dead.
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