Looking at the rain-soaked forest before him, Uchiha Tatsumi turned his head.
"Nawaki, are you afraid?"
Senju Nawaki shook his head, then raised his right hand, revealing a scar on his palm.
"This is what I carved with a kunai. It's to remind myself never to abandon my comrades and run away again."
He continued expressionlessly, "Ever since that day, the feeling of fear… has completely left me."
"Oh."
"Then why are your legs shaking?"
"…Just excited."
Uchiha Tatsumi turned his head back. Even he had to admit that Nawaki's act was quite stylish.
At this moment, they had been here for half an hour. Tatsumi gazed at the rain-soaked landscape and took a deep breath.
The rain carried with it the scent of the distant sky. The rhythmic pattering of countless raindrops and the ripples spreading across the puddles felt like a mysterious whisper from the water itself.
This kind of weather is perfect for killing.
Their target was in the forest ahead. Tatsumi, Mikoto, and Nawaki were hidden in the upper branches of a tall tree, waiting for information from the scouting snakes.
Soon, the snakes returned, bringing back intel that matched what Orochimaru-sensei had provided.
The scouting team, led by Hunt—who possessed Explosion Release—was indeed stationed inside. Aside from him, the team consisted of only five Chunin.
It seemed the enemy had suffered heavy losses recently. The lack of reinforcements indicated that Iwagakure was short on manpower, with most of their forces tied down on the main battlefield.
Tatsumi smirked in satisfaction. If there were too many, we wouldn't be sneaking in.
"Mikoto, Nawaki, I'll take out a few Chunin first, then handle Hunt. The two of you hold off the remaining Chunin. Be careful, and don't be reckless."
Mikoto nodded. Nawaki grinned. "Of course, we still have to go back to the village together."
Hearing those words, Tatsumi suddenly had a bad feeling. Nawaki, if you want to be sentimental, just be sentimental. Why say something so unlucky?
The ones who say, "I'm going home to get married after this mission," or "Let's go together; there's only one opponent," always end up six feet under.
Tatsumi checked the time, then waved his hand, signaling them to prepare for battle.
He pulled out a kunai, and the moment Lightning Chakra surged through his body, his speed skyrocketed. He shot forward like a thunderbolt, with Mikoto and Nawaki following closely behind.
The scouting snakes had already mapped out the enemy's positions, so Tatsumi had no need to search—only to strike.
"Enemy attack!"
His direct approach naturally drew attention, but it didn't matter. At his current level, Tatsumi's speed rivaled that of a seasoned Jonin, and when enhanced by Lightning Chakra, he was even faster.
With a single Body Flicker Technique, he closed the distance in an instant.
The moment their eyes met, Tatsumi's Sharingan activated, casting an illusion without hesitation. The Genjutsu burrowed into the enemy's mind through their gaze.
The Iwa-nin's shout was cut off mid-sentence. A second later, Tatsumi descended from above, kunai slicing cleanly across the man's throat. A burst of warm blood mixed with the cold rain.
Alarmed, the remaining Iwa-nin immediately retaliated with a barrage of shuriken.
Tatsumi smirked. Like those will hit me.
He slammed his fist into the ground, raising a massive stone slab as a shield.
The sheer brutality of the move left Nawaki momentarily stunned. This… this fighting style… He almost blurted out, Sister, is that you?
But before he could comment, an Iwa-nin lunged at him, and the battle erupted into chaos.
Two Chunin exchanged glances before closing in on Tatsumi.
"Let's go together! There's only one opponent!"
Tatsumi froze for a brief second, then focused his Sharingan on the speaker. Did you really just announce your death?
The crimson glow of his Sharingan flickered ominously in the rainy night.
"The enemy is an Uchiha! Don't meet his eyes!" one of them shouted.
Clearly, they were experienced.
But avoiding eye contact alone wasn't enough. That's just wishful thinking.
With a snap of his fingers, a sound-based illusion invaded the man's mind.
Just as Tatsumi moved in for the kill, a Water Dragon surged toward him.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
In the Land of Rain, water-style jutsu were naturally stronger. The massive dragon reared back before crashing down toward him.
Tatsumi clicked his tongue in annoyance and flickered out of its range. However, the attack had served its purpose—it had stalled him. Meanwhile, the illusion-struck ninja was quickly pulled to safety by his comrade.
So, no jutsu is invincible.
Genjutsu was difficult to counter, but against multiple opponents, its effectiveness was greatly diminished. The old one-on-one, flee; two-on-one, attack the rear rule existed for a reason.
But Tatsumi wasn't a one-trick Genjutsu specialist.
He dodged a kunai aimed at his face, then delivered a sharp kick to one Chunin's gut. In the same motion, he flipped mid-air and drove his left elbow into another's chin.
In an instant, his taijutsu overwhelmed both opponents.
"Where did this brat come from?! His Genjutsu is insane, and his taijutsu is—"
Before he could finish, his body went rigid.
His partner, realizing he'd fallen under an illusion again, hastily attempted another ninjutsu to break the effect.
But Tatsumi wasn't about to give him a chance.
Without hesitation, he flicked his wrist, launching his kunai like a speeding bullet.
A sharp whoosh tore through the air—
—and the man's head flew clean off.
His partner, now alone, stood frozen, hands half-formed in a seal.
Cold rain mixed with the warmth of fresh blood as his breath turned shaky.
In the darkness, the Sharingan glowed like the eyes of a Shinigami.
"It's your turn next."
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