Three dark shadows darted out from the trees, landing around Jin in a triangular formation. This formation was either for protection or... more likely, for an ambush.
Jin quickly scanned the three individuals. They were dressed in dark gray ninja attire and wore white masks adorned with strange patterns, almost identical to the uniforms worn by the ANBU. However, their hair was the only distinguishing feature: a tall man with orange hair, a slender woman with long black hair, and another man with short black hair.
Seeing them, Jin immediately drew his kunai, his guard up. These people weren't here for a friendly chat—ambushing him in the Forest of Death meant trouble.
"Uchiha Jin, we bring orders from the Hokage. You're to come with us," the man with orange hair said in a commanding tone.
"I don't believe that the Hokage would send people so sneakily," Jin replied, unconvinced. Even if Sarutobi Hiruzen truly wanted to meet him, he'd have sent Jiraiya to relay the message. Despite any differences in ideology between Hiruzen and Jiraiya, they still trusted each other.
These people definitely weren't from Sarutobi. Only one person could control individuals dressed like this, the rumored shadow behind the village: Danzo Shimura.
Seeing Jin in a fighting stance, the orange-haired man shouted angrily, "Are you defying the Hokage's orders?"
Just as Jin was about to respond, he noticed a black object flying toward him. He quickly used his Swift Step to vanish from his original spot and reappeared on a nearby tree branch, his eyes narrowing as he scanned his surroundings.
The three masked individuals were now positioned on surrounding branches, encircling him once again.
"Impressive taijutsu," the black-haired woman remarked. Jin's movement was much faster than the Body Flicker Technique, something not easily matched even by skilled ninjas.
"If you attack while talking, you clearly don't have the manners of the ANBU," Jin said, his eyes still searching for an escape route.
The orange-haired man, undeterred, shouted again, "Are you planning to betray the village, Uchiha Jin?"
What a heavy accusation.
Jin smirked. If the world outside the village weren't even more chaotic, he'd have left long ago. Did they think he was brainwashed by the Will of Fire?
But, of course, he couldn't say that aloud, especially not in front of Danzo's men. Instead, he chuckled quietly and glanced at the orange-haired man. "Attacking a fellow villager without cause—sounds like you're the ones betraying the village."
"Why don't you state your names? Tomorrow, I'll go meet the Hokage myself."
The orange-haired man remained silent. He could see now that taking Jin peacefully wasn't an option. They'd have to use force.
He discreetly signaled to the others to stop holding back and knock Jin out directly.
The man with short black hair spread his arms, releasing countless black dots from his sleeves—swarms of tiny insects. An Aburame clan member, a master of using bugs in combat.
The insects quickly gathered into a black mass, surging toward Jin like a tide.
In response, Jin jumped swiftly into the trees above, using Swift Step to ascend before the sea of insects could reach him.
At that moment, the black-haired woman appeared in front of him, her hands forming seals rapidly. "Water Release: Water Blade Technique!"
Water flowed around the kunai in her hand, swirling at high speed. Jin, unable to use Swift Step in midair, had no choice but to block her attack head-on.
He raised his kunai to intercept the incoming strike. At the same time, his left hand thrust his own kunai toward her temple. If she didn't retreat, his kunai would pierce through her head.
Rather than retreating, the woman increased the speed of her water-covered kunai. Jin's right-hand kunai was instantly sliced in half by the rotating water blade, but his left-hand kunai reached her temple.
Just as it seemed the battle would end with both suffering injuries, Jin noticed that her head... sprayed water instead of blood. Her body dissolved into a puddle.
"A Water Clone!?"
In the time it took to create this distraction, the sea of insects had swarmed upward toward him. Still midair, Jin realized he had no place to escape.
"Got him."
Seeing the branches around Jin covered in insects, the short-haired man spoke calmly. Victory seemed certain.
But Jin wasn't ready to give up. He quickly formed hand seals, took a deep breath, and exhaled forcefully. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A massive fireball exploded from his mouth, detonating with a fiery blast that sent a shockwave upward. Using the momentum, Jin launched himself higher into the trees, landing on a branch further above and running without hesitation.
The black-haired woman reappeared ahead of him, standing sideways on a tree trunk, waiting for him.
Jin grabbed another kunai from his leg pouch. They didn't exchange words; both knew it was time to fight.
Their figures blurred as they engaged in close combat, neither gaining the upper hand.
"You truly are a genius of the Uchiha, even without awakening your Sharingan," the woman commented as they clashed. Her relaxed tone contrasted sharply with Jin's intense focus.
Despite his caution, Jin's kunai was once again sliced apart by her water-covered kunai.
The insect swarm was closing in again.
Jin knew he didn't have time for another drawn-out fight. He used Swift Step to jump to another tree, but the woman followed him relentlessly, like a shadow.
What puzzled Jin most was that he couldn't steal her chakra—his Slash Spark technique, which could drain chakra, wasn't working. It felt like her chakra was sealed, locked away by some technique. He could only think of one possibility: the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal.
"You're not getting away," the woman said with a smile, continuing to chase him. It was as if she had already won.
Jin glanced to the side and saw the orange-haired man approaching. He wasn't joining the fight but was instead holding the "Seal" hand sign, waiting for an opportunity.
"A Yamanaka clan member... how troublesome," Jin muttered to himself.
Instead of continuing upward, Jin suddenly let himself drop, plunging downward. The sea of insects surged to meet him, trying to engulf him entirely.
Jin shot out his hand, and a wire emerged from his sleeve, hooking onto a distant branch. He swung away using the wire.
He had no intention of continuing the fight.
Judging from their current abilities, he couldn't defeat all three of them. The Yamanaka's strength was still unknown, but he was definitely outmatched by the other two.
Two identical figures suddenly emerged from the insect swarm.
Insect Clone Technique.
The clones sprinted toward Jin, using the insects as a platform.
Jin threw a handful of shuriken, which clashed mid-air with a sharp clang, altering their trajectories toward the insect clones. But the clones quickly raised insect shields, which blocked the shuriken and seemed to devour them.
With their vision momentarily obstructed, Jin seized the chance. He quickly pointed behind him with two fingers.
"Spirit Ball! Double Shot!"
Two beams of spiritual energy shot forward, piercing through the insect clones' foreheads. The clones exploded into a swarm of insects.
Taking advantage of the opening, Jin leaped onto another tree and used Swift Step to vanish from the trio's sight.
The short-haired man turned his head, sensing something.
Jin was hiding behind a tree, but with most of the leaves fallen, the bare branches provided little cover.
He had underestimated his opponents.
Through the reflection in his kunai, Jin saw all three moving simultaneously.
Without hesitation, he used Swift Step to flee again, healing the wound on his face as he ran. A few dried insect corpses fell from his clothing.
"Where do you think you're going?" The woman appeared in front of him again.
Jin came to a stop on the branch, leaning against the tree and gasping for breath. Using Swift Step repeatedly, coupled with the Spirit Ball technique, had drained most of his stamina.
He stared at the woman in disbelief.
Did she know the Flying Thunder God Technique? How could she always intercept him so precisely?
Behind him, the orange-haired man and the short-haired man were closing in fast. Below him, the ground was a sea of insects, and above, countless insect shadows filled the sky.
"No escape."
Jin gritted his teeth and glared at the woman.
"Where's Orochimaru? Why hasn't he noticed yet?"
If he waited any longer, these people would capture him and take him to Root. And whatever awaited him there would be far from pleasant. Danzo, the man leading the charge against the Uchiha, wouldn't treat him kindly.
He didn't even have the Sharingan, yet somehow he had caught Danzo's attention. Why not target the Uchiha who had already awakened their eyes? Why go after him, who was nearly thirteen and still hadn't unlocked the Sharingan?
Could Danzo foresee Jin becoming a future threat?
"You're not getting away, little brother," the woman said teasingly.
Jin steadied his breathing, glaring fiercely at her.
"Say that again, but next time make sure we're in bed!" he snapped. After all, long black hair was one of his preferences.
"If you're still in one piece after this, I'd be happy to oblige," the woman responded with a playful laugh.
She didn't think Jin would survive his stay at Root.
"Forget it," Jin said, waving off her comment. "With a mask like yours, you're probably hideous. I might throw up."
For the first time, the woman's smile faltered. No woman could tolerate being called ugly.
"Looks like I'll have to teach you some respect," she said coldly.
Jin sneered, not bothering to reply. But his dismissive attitude only made her angrier.
Just as she was about to say something, Jin leaped into the sea of insects below!
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Bonus chap! Please leave a review and power stones if you like the story so far <3