A chilling, murderous aura hung heavy in the air.
Uchiha Hikari's brows furrowed, her expression turning grim. "Anbu? Or Root?"
She'd sensed it early on—after shaking off the first group of trackers, another team had picked up her trail. This group was far more skilled than Utsuki Yugao's squad. Despite her attempts to throw them off with decoys along the way, they clung to her like shadows, slowing her down and keeping her firmly in their sights.
So…
Was Konoha finally making a move against her?
Given their setup, Root seemed more likely. Sarutobi Hiruzen had tasted her *Tsukuyomi* firsthand. If this were Anbu, the Third Hokage himself would probably be here.
A tense standoff lasted mere seconds.
The lead Root ninja drew his blade, his voice a rasping hiss. "Orders from above… Kill her! Take her Sharingan!"
That was the signal.
In an instant, every Root operative struck. A storm of shuriken and kunai rained down from all directions, hurtling toward Uchiha Hikari like a torrential downpour!
"*Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu!*"
As the "storm" descended, the ground beneath Hikari's feet exploded. A gloved hand shot out from below, aiming to seize her ankle and drag her underground!
At the critical moment, Hikari leaped into the air with a quick step. She flung a handful of kunai downward, forcing the hidden ninja to raise an arm to block. Then, her eyes blazed with the crimson glow of the three-tomoe Sharingan, which spun instantly into the three-bladed pinwheel of her Mangekyō.
"*Susano'o!!*"
In a flash, dark red chakra flared around her, coalescing into the skeletal frame of her Susano'o!
From the Root's attack to Hikari's airborne activation of Susano'o, it all happened in the blink of an eye. The next second, the hail of shuriken slammed into the newly formed Susano'o, sparking a cascade of fire in the air, followed by deafening explosions that echoed through the forest!
*Boom! Boom! Boom…!!!*
The blasts were relentless!
Many of the shuriken and kunai were laced with explosive tags, which detonated simultaneously. A blinding inferno swallowed Hikari and her Susano'o, the explosion's massive dust cloud rising like a mushroom, temporarily obscuring both sides' view.
"…Did we get her?"
"No… She's still alive!"
Through the dispersing smoke, a dark red Susano'o arm suddenly shot out, its massive palm—spanning several meters—reaching for the nearest Root operative. As the motion cleared some of the smog, Uchiha Hikari emerged, shielded by her Susano'o.
She looked almost untouched from moments ago, save for her eyes, now burning a fiery red. A lethal intent simmered in the three-bladed pinwheel of her Mangekyō, ready to unleash.
"Phew…"
Hikari let out a long breath, channeling her dōryoku. Her Sharingan's dynamic vision kicked into overdrive, catching every rustle and movement around her.
"*Earth Release: Mud Wall!*"
"*Earth Release: Falling Clay!*"
"*Fire Release: Dragon Flame Jutsu!*"
Several Root ninja completed their hand signs in unison. Within dozens of meters, the ground split open, the soil churning like liquid. High above, the sky cracked, and a massive deluge of sticky clay plummeted toward Hikari's position!
Facing this overwhelming onslaught, Hikari darted and leaped between the rising earthen mounds, dodging every incoming shuriken and senbon. Her hands flew up, forming seals so fast they left afterimages.
"*Fire Release: Majestic Flame Wall!*"
*Boom—!!*
A towering wall of blazing fire roared upward, surging dozens of meters into the sky. It collided head-on with the falling clay, unleashing a wave of heat exceeding a thousand degrees.
The clay, scorched by the heat, hardened and warped. Carried by the searing winds, it scattered outward, raining down like a mudslide.
Trees and bushes caught fire, the flames spreading rapidly. Dust and smoke filled the air, shrouding the battlefield in a hazy blur!
The obscured visibility briefly disrupted the Root ninjas' assassination rhythm.
Seizing the moment, Hikari charged forward with her Susano'o, barreling toward the Root operative directly ahead, her speed like an arrow loosed from a bow!
*Boom!!*
Another explosion rang out as one Root's Dragon Flame Jutsu struck the Susano'o, only to split and veer to either side. The crimson flames erupted, igniting the surrounding trees into a sea of fire.
Hikari didn't even bother dodging these ninjutsu attacks. She shattered them head-on, her hands already forming new seals.
"*Narakumi no Jutsu!*"
"*Fire Release: Majestic Flame Destruction!*"
With a sharp exhale, Hikari spat a thin line of fire that exploded into a raging inferno, engulfing the space dozens of meters ahead!
The Root operatives guarding that area were first rattled by the terrifying illusions of her Sharingan genjutsu. Before they could react further, the oncoming blaze swallowed them whole.
On another front, a Root ninja wielding a long blade rushed in, slashing with ferocious close-combat strikes. Nearby, another raised both arms, releasing a dense swarm of insects that spread rapidly in the air. In moments, they formed a black storm of buzzing bugs, diving toward Hikari!
"…Aburame clan?!"
Hikari sent the bladed Root flying with a midair kick, then spat another burst of flame, incinerating the insect swarm. Her eyes darted, scanning other directions—
With her Susano'o's protection, most ninjas' jutsu were meaningless against her. Even a barrage of explosive tags would, at worst, cause minor scratches. But clans skilled in Yin-Yang Release secret techniques were a different story. Even a split-second of control could lead to catastrophic consequences. Though confident in her mental strength, Hikari wasn't taking chances.
If the Aburame clan was here, then…
What about the Yamanaka?
Suddenly!
Hikari sensed something and whipped her head around, her gaze locking onto a spot diagonally behind her. There, dozens of meters away, a Root ninja with orange-yellow hair stood, thumbs and index fingers pressed together in a heart shape, aimed at her from behind.
"*Secret Technique: Mind Body Switch Jutsu!*"
(End of Chapter)