"This blade is really troublesome."
Uchiha Kage frowned slightly as he watched Kisame, who was holding the tail of Samehada, recover in no time.
It not only possessed the ability to absorb chakra but could also use the absorbed chakra to replenish its host, healing injuries.
"You were careless, Kisame."
Uchiha Itachi glanced indifferently at Kisame, who had stood up again, and opened his Sharingan, looking at the opposite young man with growing curiosity.
Remembering the face of the person before killing them was a consistent principle of Uchiha Itachi. However, neither the name Uchiha Kage nor his appearance existed in the Uchiha clan's records.
Danzo later informing Itachi he'd overlooked a child greatly puzzled him.
Could it be a chess piece deliberately left behind in Konoha by the mysterious Masked Man that night?
Thinking of this, Itachi wanted to leave this young man here even more.
"Hang in there, that ninjutsu from before..."
Even though Samehada had absorbed some of it, the remaining power still gave Kisame a hard time.
"The Uchiha clan truly produces geniuses in abundance."
"Yeah, well the *biggest* genius is standing right next to you – the one who slaughtered his whole family."
Although whether the Uchiha clan was annihilated or not was of no concern to Uchiha Kage, the thought of Itachi's actions made it difficult for him, even as an outsider, to feel any goodwill towards this ingrate who killed his entire clan.
"Uchiha Itachi."
Uchiha Kage met Uchiha Itachi's Sharingan gaze without any sign of weakness.
----
"Shino, how are you?"
Hinata found Aburame Shino, covered in blood, amidst the ruins.
"I'm... fine, just superficial wounds."
Supporting himself to stand up from the ground, Aburame Shino, with Hinata's help, used bandages to stop the bleeding from his wounds.
But seeing the devastated Street, he was overwhelmed by a profound sense of powerlessness.
Against ordinary mountain bandits, he could beat a group of people to a pulp even if he only used Body Art.
However, against true Elite Ninja, he could barely withstand even the aftershock of a ninjutsu attack.
Sometimes the gap between ninja and ninja was even greater than the gap between ninja and ordinary people.
"You two, stay here and don't move. Teacher will find a way to defeat them."
Seeing that both of her disciples were relatively safe, Yuhi Kurenai, who had crawled out of another pile of rubble, felt relieved.
Although she was a bit dusty, Kurenai's condition was not affected in any way.
Moreover, the reason she previously felt it was difficult to win was because she couldn't find an opportunity to cast her signature Illusionary Technique when facing two S-rank Missing-nin.
But now, with Uchiha Kage standing in front, she saw a glimmer of hope for victory.
Hmph, that stinky Disciple is one thing, but even this shark dares to look down on me, a Konoha Jonin?
"Teacher, I can still..."
Because of Uchiha Kage's protection, Hinata was even less injured than Yuhi Kurenai.
"Hinata! If we go up there, we'll only hold them back. Let's listen to Teacher's arrangements."
Aburame Shino stopped Hinata, who wanted to go forward.
They simply couldn't interfere in such a battle right now.
It was better to honestly wait until a result was decided before making any plans.
"Okay..."
Hinata stopped, but she still stared unblinkingly at the battle not far away.
If Kage-san was in danger, she would never back down.
But Shino was right; right now, she would only be a hindrance to Kage-san...
----
Things in the world are just that coincidental.
To avoid Konoha ninja believed to be on a mission in the Land of Fire, Uchiha Itachi specifically took Kisame only towards Konoha Village, thinking that this would prevent any possibility of encountering them.
At the same time, to avoid ninja battles, Yuhi Kurenai and her group chose to abandon their mission and return to the village.
Both sides intended to avoid trouble, but they happened to meet on the same road.
Now that it'd come to this, neither Uchiha Kage nor Uchiha Itachi wanted it.
But as things stood, quickly resolving the issue with these Konoha Ninja was what Uchiha Itachi should be considering most right now.
And this young man...
He vaguely gave him a very strange feeling.
He should clean up any dangers around Sasuke as soon as possible.
"A waste who doesn't even have the Sharingan isn't worthy of judging me."
Uchiha Itachi opened his Three-Tomoe Sharingan, and the killing intent on his body became heavier and heavier.
"Today is a good day to deal with the mistake that was missed that night."
"The mistake is you, you ungrateful bastard. Since I've run into you today, I might as well help the Uchiha clan clean house."
Like *you're* the *only* one with a Mangekyo Sharingan.
Uchiha Kage inconspicuously picked up a ninja fragment from the place where he had just knocked Kisame away.
Although his chances of winning were lower in a two-on-one situation, if he could knock off their ninja fragments during the battle and absorb them, he might not necessarily lose.
"Wait, Itachi-san, let me take care of this Little Kid."
Unwrapping all the bandages on Samehada, Kisame's round eyes also locked onto Uchiha Kage's figure.
Sasa~
The Samehada, like a living creature, opened its mouth full of fangs, seeming to be baring its teeth at the young man not far away.
"Sorry, Uchiha survivor, please be food for Samehada. You hit it earlier, and it's very angry now."
Looking at the Samehada squirming in his hand, Hoshigaki Kisame revealed a cruel smile.
"Don't even think about hurting my Disciple!"
Demonic Illusion: Tree Bind Entrapment!
Concentrating all of her chakra, Yuhi Kurenai's black hair moved without wind.
As she completed the Hand Seals, her body dissolved like a bubble, vanishing from sight.
"An Illusionary Technique?"
Hoshigaki Kisame and Uchiha Itachi both became vigilant upon sensing this Chakra.
However, even so, Kisame still found his legs and body entangled by Tree Branches that suddenly grew out of the ground.
"A bit interesting. Even knowing it's an Illusionary Technique and preparing in advance, you still fall for it. Truly a remarkable technique."
Kisame struggled and lifted his foot, but soon, more and more dense tree trunks had buried his entire body.
On the other side, Uchiha Itachi also suffered the same fate as Hoshigaki Kisame.
But—
"As expected of Kurenai-senpai, but using Illusionary Techniques in front of the Sharingan is very unwise."
Demonic Illusion: Mirror Heaven and Earth Transfer!
Just as Yuhi Kurenai thought she had succeeded, Uchiha Itachi suddenly reflected the effects back onto Yuhi Kurenai.
"What!?"
Feeling that she was actually trapped by the Demonic Illusion: Tree Bind Entrapment that she had cast herself, Yuhi Kurenai fell into great turmoil.
And in reality outside the illusion, Uchiha Itachi had taken the opportunity to stab the Female Ninja, who was still struggling in the illusion, in the neck with a Kunai.
"It's over, Kurenai-senpai."
*Pfft!*
The Kunai's blade pierced the skin, drawing a pool of red blood.
"Kage!?"
Yuhi Kurenai, who had overcome the illusion by biting her lip, saw the figure of the young man standing in front of her, grabbing Uchiha Itachi's Kunai with his bare hand, in the first glance after waking up.