"No, it's forbidden. The clan leader ordered that no one is allowed inside."
The black-robed Uchiha stood resolute and unyielding.
"Come on, don't be like that!"
Uchiha Gin was getting anxious; things were chaotic outside, and he couldn't bring himself to leave the girl alone in the research lab.
"Apologies, but if you keep pushing, I'll have no choice but to follow protocol."
The black-robed Uchiha's hand slowly moved to the hilt of his sword.
"Let them in!"
The mansion's door suddenly opened, and Uchiha Tajima's wife emerged, visibly exhausted.
"Auntie!"
Upon seeing her, Uchiha Gin dashed over, smiling as he greeted her, then turned and called to the girl.
"Come over and pay your respects to my aunt."
He knew well how to handle social customs.
The girl walked over nervously, gazing at the unfamiliar woman before her.
"Hello, Madam Clan Leader," she said tentatively.
"So, you're Little Hikari, the one Gin is always talking about. No need for formalities; just call me Aunt, like Gin does," Uchiha Tajima's wife responded warmly. She glanced between her nephew and the young girl and could see clearly what was between them.
"Aunt, I'll be off then."
Having left the girl in his aunt's care, Gin declined the invitation to come inside. "I'm heading to the front line—I'm sure I can be of help to my uncle."
Without waiting for his aunt's response, Uchiha Gin gave a reassuring gesture to the girl, then vanished into the night.
"I hope I'm not too late," he prayed, speeding through the streets with renewed urgency.
Suddenly, a chilling aura froze him in his tracks. His eyes locked onto a dark corner up ahead, where unfamiliar figures emerged, bloodied but unafraid, exuding a bloodthirsty energy.
"Who are you?"
The young man eyed the strangers cautiously, recognizing from their unusual attire that they were not from his clan. At this time and place, they could only be enemies.
He focused his chakra, his senses on high alert, and his eyes gradually turned red.
Despite spending most of his time in the research lab, Gin had kept up his combat training, thanks to his strict uncle, Uchiha Tajima.
"Ha, just a kid," the lead man sneered, laughing as he and his group closed in, fists clenched.
"If you're the enemy, I won't hold back."
Surrounded, Gin remained exceptionally calm. His Sharingan allowed him to see that his opponents had skills equal to seasoned fighters, at least squad captain level.
He looked up and smiled, watching as his opponents' massive fists swung toward him with deadly force.
"Kill him!" someone shouted.
But just as the punches were about to land, they halted inches from Gin's face. The leader's face flushed as he struggled, unable to move his fist even an inch.
Genjutsu: Sharingan
The group felt as though their bodies were filled with lead, paralyzed. Without missing a beat, Gin unleashed another genjutsu, knocking out all but the leader. He then stared him down, activating his eye powers to put him under hypnosis.
Under Gin's control, the man stood there blankly, awaiting Gin's orders.
"Who are you?"
"We are ninja of the Kaguya Clan," the man answered without hesitation.
The Kaguya Clan? Gin thought, his suspicions growing. "I thought they were exiled to the Land of Water—why are they here now?"
"What's your mission?"
"To take over the Uchiha territory and capture key members of the clan."
Hearing this, Gin's calm demeanor faltered. The enemy intended not only to invade but to take hostages.
"How many are you? Who's leading you?"
Gin wanted to gauge the scale of the threat, knowing most of the clan's fighters had been diverted elsewhere. If the invaders succeeded, it would spell disaster for the Uchiha.
"Eighty, led by Kaguya Josuke."
Eighty Kaguya Clan ninja, dispatched for this assault—they had to be formidable.
"Where did they go?"
"Grain storage, weapon depots, supply warehouses, the research lab, and the clan leader's residence."
Gin inhaled sharply. These were all vital points for the Uchiha Clan, especially the clan leader's mansion.
"Oh no! Hikari's still there!"
He had no more questions. Gin threw a few kunai, quickly dispatching the intruders.
I need to get used to this era's violence, he thought grimly.
He knew it was too late to warn Uchiha Tajima, and he could only hope his uncle would realize the Kaguya Clan's plan soon.
Gin's sole focus now was to get back to the mansion and protect his aunt and Hikari.
Without delay, he set off again, running through the now-chaotic Uchiha compound. Bodies lay strewn about, lifeless in pools of blood. The gruesome sight and the stench of blood made him feel faint, but he pushed forward, reaching the clan leader's residence.
Outside, the clash of weapons filled the air as Kaguya Josuke, brimming with confidence, led his forces against the Uchiha guard, who were fighting valiantly but had sustained severe losses.
When the guard saw Gin instead of reinforcements, they were caught off guard and exposed a fatal weakness. One of the Kaguya clan's strange weapons struck them hard, leaving them unconscious on the ground.
"Haha! Is this boy supposed to be your backup?" Kaguya Josuke mocked, watching Gin arrive.
Gin glanced around, relieved to see the enemy hadn't yet breached the residence. His expression hardened, though. Judging by Josuke's presence, this would be no easy fight.
Gin activated his Sharingan fully, its tomoe spinning as a dark chakra filled the air. Even the Kaguya Clan could feel its intensity.
"Amaterasu."
"This kid's dangerous—attack!" Josuke commanded, and the Kaguya warriors rushed forward.
It was too late. The first few attackers burst into black flames, unable to extinguish the searing fire. They screamed as the flames consumed them entirely, leaving only ashes.
The black flames lingered ominously on the ground, a chilling sight in the darkened battlefield.
-
Read 50 advanced chapters here (with update rate of 5-10 chapters/day):
Patreon.com/rashta
Join as a member and you will get:
- Read up to 290 chapters of Douluo Dalu: Qian Renxue's Younger Brother
- Read my new ORIGINAL novel that has not been published yet, 'Anime Summoning System' (Psst, chapter 1 is free as a teaser. So check it out if you already like the title)