Under the night sky, the dense mist blanketed the vast forest.
Visibility was extremely low, but this worked in favor of the Uchiha clan members.
The Sharingan allowed them to see much more clearly than ordinary eyes. Its ability to analyze movement enabled Uchiha ninjas to make accurate judgments even in obscured vision conditions.
Uchiha Iwa led Uchiha Mikoto through the forest, moving stealthily. They had already been separated from Uchiha Tohu, and now, Shaki's pursuit loomed over them. Although the night and the thick fog significantly impaired his vision, as long as they didn't get too far ahead, he could track them by sound and chakra presence.
As for the other Sand ninjas—the four Jōnin and six Elite Chūnin—most had split off to chase after Uchiha Tohu, while others were lost in the misty forest, trying to regroup or locate the fleeing Uchiha members.
...
"Miss, if an opportunity presents itself, you must escape alone. I will do everything I can to hold them back!" Uchiha Iwa whispered urgently as he sprinted forward, keeping his voice as low as possible. "If you get away safely, return to Konoha immediately and report this incident to the clan!"
"And that brat? That damned guy ran off on his own! Are we just going to leave him?" Uchiha Mikoto asked quickly.
"Haruto Saito… he is most likely dead already. There are too many enemies. Even we might not be able to escape, let alone him." Uchiha Iwa's face darkened further as he spoke.
It was just sheer misfortune. The original plan was to lure the Hyūga clan into hunting Haruto, exposing their hidden dealings and acquiring proof of their crimes against Konoha shinobi. That way, at least Haruto's death would serve a purpose.
But fate had played a cruel hand. The Hyūga clan never appeared, and instead, they stumbled into an elite Sand team.
Uchiha Iwa was already certain of their identities. Every one of them was proficient in Wind Release and displayed incredible coordination—characteristics distinct to Sunagakure forces.
"Haruto Saito is dead, our mission has failed. But if even one of us makes it back alive to report the Sand infiltration, it will count as redemption." Uchiha Iwa added. He was already prepared for a last stand, but only if it ensured Uchiha Mikoto's survival.
...
Meanwhile, in another part of the forest.
The thick fog obscured everything, making it difficult to determine direction. The fusion of nighttime darkness and the heavy mist rendered visibility nearly nonexistent.
A Sand Elite Chūnin named Fūki moved cautiously through knee-high grass. He was extremely careful, reacting to even the slightest rustling of leaves.
He did not attempt to disperse the mist with Wind Release. The effectiveness would be minimal while also consuming chakra. At best, he could clear a few dozen meters around himself, but he couldn't afford to stay still.
He needed to keep moving, locate his allies, and track down the fleeing Uchiha targets.
Rustle!
A faint noise from the side made him spin around instantly, flinging a kunai in that direction. Silence followed.
"Damn it!" Fūki cursed under his breath.
Above him, Haruto Saito crouched on a thick tree branch, his sharp eyes observing Fūki's every move. Haruto had been waiting here for a while, watching the Sand ninja approach.
Fūki had no idea Haruto was right above him.
The tree's canopy cast deep shadows, completely concealing Haruto's presence. Coupled with the night and the dense fog, spotting him was nearly impossible.
"What's that smell?" Fūki suddenly muttered, his face changing dramatically.
It was the scent of blood.
Haruto had moved through battle earlier, and while most of the blood on his clothes had dried, traces of its scent remained.
Whoosh—
Before Fūki could react further, a sharp, piercing sound cut through the air from above.
He immediately crouched and leaped sideways, dodging the attack. Haruto missed his initial strike, but with a powerful push from a nearby tree trunk, he surged forward, closing the distance in an instant.
His blade flashed like lightning as it slashed downward.
Splat!
A sickening squelch echoed through the forest as the katana cleaved through the Sand ninja's sword, flesh, and bone alike. Fūki's body split into two halves, blood spraying in all directions.
"Ugh, disgusting…" Haruto muttered, his face twitching in irritation as he was once again drenched in blood.
It was a brutal, merciless kill.
An Elite Chūnin stood no chance against Haruto in close combat!
Between his mastery of samurai techniques, his monstrous strength, and his special weapon—the Heavy Mountain Blade, which doubled his striking power—no ordinary Elite Chūnin could withstand even a single attack from him.
Haruto quickly collected the newly dropped cards, storing them away without even checking their contents, before vanishing into the mist once more.
A few minutes later…
To the southeast of the river, within the still-misty forest.
Splat!
Blood splashed against Haruto's face again as another Sand Elite Chūnin fell to his blade—this time, beheaded cleanly with a single strike.
Haruto grimaced, closing his eyes in frustration before shaking his head. When he reopened them, they were filled with determination.
He was completely covered in blood.
Stealth kills were exhilarating, but for someone with a preference for cleanliness, this was getting unbearable!
Taking a deep breath, he muttered, "Tsunade, I suppose I should thank you for this…"
If not for Tsunade curing his extreme aversion to filth, he would have gone crazy by now. While he still preferred cleanliness and took frequent baths, he no longer panicked over being covered in blood.
Haruto had already eliminated four Elite Chūnin.
But he wasn't satisfied. Killing Elite Chūnin didn't bring much reward. They mostly dropped low-tier jutsu cards, not the valuable B-rank jutsu cards, chakra enhancement cards, or recovery cards he needed.
To gain greater rewards, he needed to hunt Jōnin!
And he still had that Double Drop Rate card waiting to be used!
After collecting the loot, Haruto leaped into the trees and activated his Byakugan to scan the area.
The battlefield was chaotic. The different groups had scattered.
Uchiha Iwa, heavily injured, was about a kilometer southwest, fleeing from the Elite Jōnin Shaki and another Jōnin.
Uchiha Tohu had hidden himself about five hundred meters away. He was being hunted by two Sand Jōnin and three Elite Chūnin. Fortunately, since none of them outmatched him in skill, he had managed to stay hidden.
Elsewhere, another Sand Jōnin and an Elite Chūnin moved cautiously through the eastern forest.
No lone targets.
Taking on the Jōnin-Elite Chūnin pair was the least dangerous option, but still a significant risk!
Meanwhile, the six Hyūga clan members had reached the fog's edge, likely planning their next move.
"Damn it, tricky situation…" Haruto muttered, analyzing everything. He noticed that Uchiha Iwa's situation was particularly bad—if he didn't act soon, the man wouldn't last much longer.
He could abandon them. He had no real obligation to help the Uchiha clan.
But then why was he here?
He was on a mission.
A mission to kill!
This was exactly the kind of battlefield he thrived in.
"Screw it, let's go!" Haruto gritted his teeth, steeled his resolve, and dashed toward the eastern forest.
Target: the Jōnin-Elite Chūnin pair.
He was going all in.
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