Minazuki and Kaguya
"Ah..."
The Kirigakure (Kiri) ninja screamed in agony but didn't die immediately—the legendary Kusanagi sword had pierced his right chest, missing the heart.
With a swift motion, Uchiha Gen withdrew the blade, dropping low in a blur of speed. He stomped down on the Kiri ninja's sword-wielding arm with one foot, crushing his throat with the other. A sharp crack echoed—the shattered windpipe ended his suffering instantly.
"Suiton: Mizurappa! (Water Release: Wild Water Wave!)"
A powerful surge of water tore through the dense forest, slicing through the air with deadly force. It was followed by a barrage of shuriken and two kunai, each tied with explosive tags.
Uchiha Gen swiftly retreated, his Sharingan spinning as he flicked his left hand—the Kusanagi snapped back to its normal length, its blade shimmering with deadly intent.
With precise calculation, two spinning shuriken collided with the incoming kunai, altering their trajectory mid-air. The rest of the projectiles were effortlessly deflected by Gen's sword, guided by the heightened reflexes granted by his Sharingan.
Boom! Boom! Twin explosions lit up the sky in bursts of fire. Four Kirigakure ninjas darted through the treetops, launching coordinated attacks from different angles.
Gen remained calm. In a fluid motion, he sheathed his sword and quickly formed hand seals before vanishing from sight.
"Doton: Moguragakure no Jutsu! (Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole Technique!)"
"Be careful!"
The leading Kirigakure chūnin shouted, noticing Gen's sudden disappearance. He hurled a shuriken toward the spot where Gen vanished—but it struck nothing but dirt.
The other three Mist ninjas quickly ceased their assault, regrouping in a defensive formation, standing back-to-back to cover all angles.
But this made them the perfect target for Gen's next move…
"Nehan Shōja no Jutsu! (Temple of Nirvana Technique!)"
Hidden behind a tree, Gen weaved another set of hand seals. Suddenly, thick, white feathers began falling from the sky, carrying a powerful genjutsu meant to lull the enemies into unconsciousness.
Despite their heightened alertness, the three Kirigakure genin succumbed instantly, collapsing to the ground in a helpless sleep. The chūnin barely resisted—biting his tongue and hastily forming hand signs to dispel the genjutsu.
But it was too late. A kunai, wrapped with a deadly explosive tag, flew toward him with terrifying speed.
Thud. Blood splattered as the kunai struck his throat.
BOOM! Flames engulfed the four Mist ninjas in an instant, sending charred remnants and embers flying through the air.
One of the genin, half-conscious from the agony of his burns, rolled on the ground, screaming. Gen's expression remained cold and emotionless as he ended their suffering with three swift kunai strikes.
Moments later, Yuhi Kurenai and her squad rejoined him, having finished off their own enemies.
"You took down two chūnin and three genin in such a short time… You really are worthy of being our captain," Baiyun Asa (Morning White Cloud) remarked, lowering his blood-stained sword in admiration.
Gen didn't respond. Instead, he pulled out a thick stack of explosive tags from his ninja pouch and handed them to his comrades.
"The upcoming battles will only get harsher. I may not always be able to protect you. Share these among yourselves."
He fixed them with a serious gaze. "And don't separate. Together, the three of you can hold your own against a jōnin."
Kurenai frowned, eyeing the hefty pile of tags. "Captain, if we take all of these, what about you?"
"You should keep some," added Hyūga Tokuma, concern etched across his face.
"I have much more chakra than you do. Explosive tags won't help me as much as they'll help you," Gen replied evenly. "Besides, I still have more."
He pulled out another stack from his pouch—though thinner, it still held at least a dozen tags.
"..." Kurenai, Tokuma, and Baiyun were speechless.
Thirty to forty detonating tags? Is the Uchiha clan really this wealthy?
The realization dawned—Gen wasn't just any Uchiha. He was highly valued within the clan and a direct disciple of Orochimaru. His access to resources was naturally on another level.
Resigning to Gen's logic, the three accepted the tags without further argument.
Suddenly, Tokuma's voice broke the tension. "The enemy is approaching—strong ones. One jōnin and three chūnin!" His Byakugan pulsed with intensity.
Four figures emerged from the shadows—three men and one woman. Two stood out immediately, their battle gear marked with the emblems of the Minazuki and Kaguya clans.
"The Minazuki clan—also known as the Yuki clan—manipulators of ice and descendants of a bloodthirsty, war-hardened lineage."
"Oh? Uchiha and Hyūga? It seems fate enjoys these little reunions."
The first to speak was a young man clad in a pristine white combat uniform, his expression cold and arrogant. The Kirigakure headband rested prominently on his forehead.
"I especially love killing members of the Hyūga clan," sneered the second ninja—a Kaguya, evident from his moon-white armor, wild hairstyle, and the two crimson dots marking his forehead.
The Hyūga and Kaguya clans, both renowned taijutsu masters, had long been rivals—each believing themselves superior in hand-to-hand combat.
"I look forward to proving who's better," Tokuma replied coldly, activating his Byakugan.
"Hoho, then let's settle this with death."
The Kaguya warrior lunged forward recklessly.
Gen reacted instantly, forming rapid hand seals.
"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu! (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!)"
A searing, golden-orange fireball roared toward the enemy, distorting the air with its heat. The Kaguya ninja's eyes narrowed, and he veered off course just in time—though the heat grazed him, leaving slight burns.
Baiyun Asa followed up with a swift attack. "Vacuum Blade!"
His sword unleashed a slicing gust of wind, aimed at the Kaguya's neck. The attacker crossed his arms to defend; though flesh tore away, the bones beneath extended unnaturally, reinforced by chakra and as hard as steel. The blade left only a shallow cut.
"Damn cowards! Still just watching?" the Kaguya ninja roared toward his fellow Mist comrades, who hadn't lifted a finger since the battle began.
The tension was clear—Kirigakure's ruthless elitism left its ninjas indifferent toward one another. The Kaguya were an outcast clan, and even other bloodline clans like the Minazuki avoided them.
"Enough. Let's not embarrass ourselves in front of Konoha," the Minazuki jōnin ordered.
Reluctantly, the remaining Kirigakure ninjas engaged, forcing Kurenai and her team to take up their own battles. Tokuma naturally found himself facing the Kaguya fighter—an inevitable taijutsu clash.
Meanwhile, Gen turned his attention to the Minazuki ninja.
"This is my first time encountering a Minazuki. Tell me your name—I'll make your death swift."
The enemy chuckled softly, his gaze cold yet amused. "Minazuki Kiyoshi. And yours?"
"Uchiha Gen."
Both men formed hand signs simultaneously, the air between them thick with killing intent.
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