A full "pulverize and scatter" combo, executed flawlessly.
Uchiha Renzou wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Watching the raging flames of the Dragon Fire , he let out a slight breath.
After fighting to this extent, both his mental and physical strength were reaching their limits.
From yesterday to today, he hadn't had a moment of rest.
Even after being woken up by an explosion tag in his sleep, there was barely any time to react.
Executing the 1 C-rank and 1 B-rank technique, combined with the Uchiha Style – Wire-Controlled Shuriken Jutsu , had nearly drained all of Uchiha Renzou's stamina and chakra reserves.
However, as he watched the blazing Dragon Fire, emitting thick black smoke, a feeling of unease stirred within him.
Throughout the battle, he never felt an overwhelming pressure.
And as a sealing jutsu specialist of Special Jōnin level, Moroi had not displayed the ability expected of him.
Moreover, Fire Release had always been considered a merciful technique.
Could his opponent really be so weak? Did he just die like that?
The sudden shift in battle caught the three people at the rear off guard.
Especially Uchiha Setsuna, the Grand Elder.
To be honest, when he saw Uchiha Renzou push aside Uchiha Seichirou to cover the retreat alone, his heart nearly jumped out of his chest.
Uchiha Renzou's shuriken skills did remind him a bit of his younger self.
But his opponent was a Jōnin!
When Uchiha Renzou was trapped inside the Cloud Village's barrier, Uchiha Setsuna's heart clenched—this was bad!
There was no way Uchiha Renzou could be a match for a Cloud Jōnin.
And yet, in just a few moments—
The situation flipped!
A layman watches the spectacle, but an expert sees the technique—
Uchiha Renzou's desperate maneuvers, along with his flawless execution of the Uchiha Style – Wire-Controlled Shuriken Jutsu, successfully transformed the Dragon Fire Technique and Phoenix Sage Fire Technique—two weak C-rank jutsu.
It was nothing short of an evolution of ninjutsu!
Dragon Fire and Phoenix Fire, as C-rank Fire Release techniques, had obvious flaws.
They had great range and suppressive power, but their strength was too scattered.
Yet, by guiding the Dragon Fire with ninja wire and concentrating the Phoenix Sage Fire into Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Nail Crimson using shuriken, Uchiha Renzou merged the power of both C-rank jutsu.
The result—
A force comparable to an A-rank technique!
And with the razor-sharp taut ninja wires,
The net closed in!
It was almost no different from dozens of ninja swords slicing down at the same time!
This string of combination techniques had Uchiha Setsuna slamming the table in admiration—if he had to replicate this exact sequence himself,
He felt it wouldn't be much different!
This kid's combat talent was terrifying!
The techniques Setsuna had just taught him, Uchiha Renzou had already mastered to perfection.
This was some next-level genius!
"Moroi!" Among the three from Cloud, Dodai cried out in shock, eyes filled with disbelief.
Who would have thought that in just a few moments, Uchiha Renzou had pulled off an upset, completely overwhelming a superior opponent!
"Damn it! This brat actually—"
Dodai's expression was grim, his face dark as the bottom of a pot. His forehead veins bulged, and he almost couldn't resist rushing in to finish the job with a Lava Fist.
He knew that if they lost Moroi here, even with both him and Rami still standing, they might be able to suppress Uchiha Setsuna, but they wouldn't be able to take him down.
Which meant their mission might end here.
"Calm down!" Rami, who was even older than Uchiha Setsuna, grabbed Dodai's shoulder and said coolly:
"Dodai, don't be reckless. Let's finish what we came to do."
"Moroi isn't as weak as you think. Look carefully—the barrier hasn't shattered."
"Moroi is still alive!"
Despite his words, Rami's brows furrowed.
Because Uchiha Renzou's offensive had been too fast, too well-coordinated, leaving little room to react.
In battle, speed is king.
Moroi was a barrier ninja, whose skills were largely dependent on setting up techniques in advance.
Even for a veteran Jōnin like Rami, such a rapid offensive would have made it difficult to form hand seals in time.
He would have been forced into a reactive defense.
A sense of foreboding settled in his heart.
At this moment, the three combatants unconsciously slowed their attacks, keeping the corner of their eyes fixed on the sealed battleground.
Even though—
It was just a fight involving a mere Genin.
But unknowingly, it had already begun to influence the entire battlefield,
And even Cloud's strategic plans in the Land of Hot Water!
—
Inside the barrier.
Thick black smoke billowed, flames roared.
Dozens, if not hundreds, of razor-sharp ninja wires slashed toward the center under Uchiha Renzou's control!
The scene looked completely one-sided.
Uchiha Renzou, a Genin without a Sharingan, had managed to suppress Cloud's Special Jōnin Moroi single-handedly!
But soon, Uchiha Renzou's expression changed.
Something felt wrong!
The ninja wires cutting toward the heart of the flames should have sliced Moroi apart like a butcher's knife through pork.
Yet instead, they met resistance—like taut rubber bands snapping against a tightly woven ball of yarn.
The wires coiled tighter and thicker, but they couldn't cut through.
At that moment, the flames in the center surged.
Then—
A bone-chilling voice rang out:
"Brat, did you really think you had already won?"
As the words fell—
A seal pattern, similar to a Summoning Jutsu, suddenly expanded from the center of the flames.
Uchiha Renzou's pupils shrank.
He immediately let go of the ninja wires, whipping out eight shuriken from his ninja pouch and hurling them toward the flames!
"It's useless!" Moroi's cold voice echoed.
As he spoke, his figure slowly emerged from the fire.
Perhaps "emerged" was the wrong word.
In Uchiha Renzou's vision, the fire itself—
Was fading.
Like a toilet being flushed, the entire sea of flames swirled in a clockwise motion toward Moroi at the center.
Moroi remained kneeling on one knee, his hand pressed firmly onto a scroll on the ground, his gaze icy as he uttered:
"Sealing Fire Technique!"
With that, the entire inferno was sucked into the small scroll.
At this moment, Uchiha Renzou's eight shuriken were about to strike.
But Moroi remained unfazed, forming a "Rin" seal and pressing his hands into the air.
A spherical barrier unfolded.
"Sealing Bind Array!"
This was the technique that had stopped Uchiha Renzou's wire slashes.
Then, Moroi stood up and slowly approached Uchiha Renzou.
His hands continued forming intricate seals.
A sense of dread surged within Uchiha Renzou, and he instinctively tried to move.
However—
Moroi suddenly extended his hand, bellowing, "Brat, where do you think you're going?!"
A seal took shape in his palm, and he slammed it onto the ground.
"Lightning Bind Kill!"
Serpentine currents of electricity surged toward Uchiha Renzou, forming a circular seal beneath his feet.
The kanji for "Lightning" appeared—
Then, four whips of electricity lashed out, binding his limbs tightly!
Electricity coursed through his body—he wanted to move, but it was futile.
Half his body had already gone numb. Even opening his mouth was an ordeal.
"Heh… brat, got any last words?" Moroi sneered.
Uchiha Renzou looked up at the sky.
His mind was filled with a thousand curses he couldn't even voice.
The old saying was true—
Fire Release really was the most merciful jutsu!
All smoke, no damage!
Moroi slowly approached, drawing his sword, tilting Uchiha Renzou's chin with it.
"You Uchihas always love flashy, useless tricks."
"But too bad… you met me!"
Moroi grinned coldly, lifting his blade to Uchiha Renzou's throat.
"Your flashy nonsense ends here!"
Yet, in the face of such overwhelming force, Uchiha Renzou's expression twisted.
He wanted to laugh—but he held it in.
The more he suppressed it, the more distorted his face became.
His eyes widened slightly—
7% mockery, 3% disdain, and 90% eerie calm.
He smirked, eyes meeting Moroi's, and let out a chuckle.
"Is that so?"