Uchiha Shin gripped the Dust Release-infused longsword tightly and burst forth from the shadows.
"Shave with lightning—instant movement!"
The fusion of the Six Styles' Soru technique with the [Lightning Chakra Mode] propelled Uchiha Shin forward at an explosive speed exceeding ten times the speed of sound in an instant!
To any onlookers, all that remained visible was a fleeting black blur and the glint of a sword.
Swish!!!
The stationed Sand Shinobi barely had time to react before the assault landed.
Uchiha Shin, moving at supersonic speeds, slashed cleanly through their ranks with his Dust Release longsword. The cuts were seamless, slicing through flesh and armor like a hot knife through butter, leaving no time for resistance.
Jōnin and Genin alike were reduced to dismembered remains before they even processed what had happened.
By the time the last body fell, Uchiha Shin had already appeared before the entrance of an earthen stronghold.
The two Jōnin guards stationed at the door barely had time to react when beams of Dust Release erupted from within their bodies!
Without so much as a scream, they were reduced to nothing—disintegrated at the atomic level, leaving behind only the faint afterglow of their existence.
"Tsk~ This thing really hits like a maxed-out ability. In game terms, it's pure damage—instant kill on contact."
If not for the need to avoid unwanted attention, Uchiha Shin would have preferred to use their bodies for further experimentation.
He assessed his chakra expenditure.
"Even just a controlled burst of Dust Release eats up a lot of chakra."
Thankfully, his reserves were substantial. Between his naturally vast chakra pool and the additional reserves sealed within his Yin Seal, he had more than enough fuel to keep Dust Release active.
"The only real downside is the casting delay when using it freely. It's much easier to shape it into a weapon and attack directly."
With that thought, Uchiha Shin dismissed his sword, pushed open the heavy doors, and stepped inside the earthen structure.
Contrary to his expectations of finding a council of high-ranking Sand Shinobi, the interior was starkly empty.
At the center of the room stood a sturdy steel cage, furnished sparsely with a simple bed and a small table.
Within the confines of this cage was not a feral beast, but a girl.
She was young, likely no older than ten, with short, sandy brown hair and deep indigo eyes. Despite her imprisonment, she was undeniably beautiful, her pale skin reminiscent of delicate porcelain, smooth and untouched by sunlight.
Her lips were thin, naturally rosy—an inviting contrast to the bleakness of her surroundings.
Upon noticing Uchiha Shin, the girl's gaze held no fear or hostility. Instead, her soft, warm smile exuded a calm charm that stirred a protective instinct.
"Hello~ Are you the new ninja assigned to monitor me?" she asked in a delicate voice, her tone laced with a fragile innocence.
Uchiha Shin narrowed his eyes.
"A girl this young? Did I sense wrong? No… she is definitely the One-Tailed Jinchūriki."
The vast reserves of chakra within her confirmed his suspicions.
He had initially planned to locate high-ranking Sand Shinobi, yet he had stumbled upon something far more significant.
Splitting a portion of his attention, he directed his shadow clones to continue searching for important figures while he remained behind.
Reaching the level of a Six Paths shinobi required something extraordinary. Either one was born into the Ōtsutsuki lineage with a pure enough bloodline to ascend naturally, or they consumed a chakra fruit to instantly evolve.
Otherwise, the only viable path was acquiring the power of the Ten-Tails.
Since natural progression alone was unlikely to elevate him to that realm, Uchiha Shin had devised a different approach—gathering all the Tailed Beasts.
Meeting one so early was an unexpected boon.
At the very least, he could implant a [Genjutsu Sharingan] in advance, securing control for later.
Uchiha Shin stepped forward, his tone unguarded. "I'm not here to monitor you. I'm an intruder. Nice to meet you."
The girl's eyes flickered with momentary surprise, yet the gentle smile on her lips remained.
"Oh, so you're the intruder? My name is Karura. Pleased to meet you."
Her voice was like honey, soothing despite the grim reality of her situation.
Uchiha Shin raised an eyebrow. He had expected panic, maybe even resistance. Instead, she responded with the composure of someone utterly unbothered.
Walking up to the cage, he asked, "You're not afraid?"
Karura placed a hand on her chest and shook her head lightly.
"I can sense your kindness, Sir Intruder. My intuition tells me you won't hurt me. And meeting someone new is always a good thing."
Her words were gentle but tinged with an unspoken loneliness.
From her demeanor and current situation, Uchiha Shin could easily deduce the truth.
She had been locked away ever since becoming the One-Tailed Jinchūriki.
Indeed, just as he suspected, Karura was the second vessel chosen after the previous host, Fubuki, perished.
Like her predecessor, she had been confined in isolation, treated less as a person and more as an entity.
In the eyes of the Sand Village, there was no "Karura."
She was simply "Shukaku."
The previous Jinchūriki had died only a few months ago, and she had been forced to inherit his burden.
Had recent events in the Sand Village not forced an early change, the next successor should have been the infamous Gaara.
"Things are shifting more than I expected…"
With a sigh, Uchiha Shin raised his hand, activating [Dust Release].
In the next instant, a concentrated beam of chakra sliced through the reinforced steel cage like paper.
The barrier that even a rampaging Shukaku couldn't breach was rendered useless in a single motion.
Karura's eyes widened in astonishment.
"Even if Shukaku went wild, it wouldn't be able to break through this cage so easily! No wonder you made it in here. Did you take out all the guards outside?"
She was well aware of the intricate seals placed on her confinement. That this man had shattered them so effortlessly left her stunned.
"Just a simple trick," Uchiha Shin replied dismissively. "As for the guards, let's just say they're enjoying a very deep sleep."
He stepped inside the ruined cage, now standing mere inches from Karura.
"And stop calling me 'intruder.' My name is Uchiha Shin. Use that."
Hearing the name, Karura's expression shifted instantly.
A spark of recognition flickered in her indigo eyes before she suddenly jumped in excitement.
"Uchiha Shin?! You're THAT Uchiha Shin?! The one from—"
Her words cut off, but the intrigue in her gaze deepened. She looked up at him with undisguised curiosity.
Uchiha Shin smirked.
"I take it you've heard of me."
Karura nodded, her excitement barely contained. "More than just heard. The Sand Village speaks of you like a ghost story. But I didn't expect you to be this…" she trailed off, looking him over before flashing a teasing smile. "Handsome."
Uchiha Shin chuckled. "Flattery will get you nowhere, but I'll take it."
The young Jinchūriki giggled, and for the first time in a long while, she felt something she thought she had lost—hope.
And Uchiha Shin? He had just found a crucial piece to his grander plan.
--------
Dear Readers
Join Patreon for Complete Novel (240 Chapters) and 100 Early Chapters
https://www.patreon.com/dd44
--------
Bonus Chapter - 150 Power Stones