161-165

Chapter 161: Am I Late?  

The full moon hung high, and the wind and sand fell like rain.  

Above the boundless desert, within a towering pale-red barrier, under the cold moonlight—  

Facing Shinji's rapidly slashing sword, Ebizo burst through the white smoke with great strides. Both his hands were already gripping two Wind Release: Vacuum Blades.  

Clash of Blades!  

Clang!  

Ebizo firmly blocked Shinji’s slashing Kusanagi Sword with his own body!  

Immediately, from behind him, five puppets leaped forward, swinging three long blades and two spinning four-edged chakra blades straight toward Shinji’s face.  

Faced with such an onslaught, Shinji’s gaze sharpened. He kicked Ebizo away, quickly pulled back, and skillfully swung the Kusanagi Sword, deflecting the incoming puppet attacks. Within the streaks of flashing blades, he maneuvered effortlessly.  

Suddenly, he spun his sword in a circular arc, slicing through two puppets like moonlight. Seizing the opening, he forced his way through the puppet formation and struck down at Ebizo with a devastating overhead slash!  

At that moment, Ebizo seized the brief window, summoning another puppet—a white-robed female figure wielding two large swords—to replace the previously destroyed red-and-white-faced puppet.  

With a flick of his fingers, the components of the female puppet’s large swords detached and flew toward Ebizo’s own robust arms.  

"Human Puppet Technique: Twin Blades of Light!"  

Then, wielding the massive swords now attached to his arms, Ebizo slashed fiercely at Shinji!  

Clang!  

The sheer force of the attack sent a jolt through Shinji’s hands, nearly making him lose grip of the Kusanagi Sword.  

Blue flames erupted from the ends of Ebizo’s twin blades as he delivered a sweeping strike, launching Shinji through the air with the force of inertia!  

The remaining puppets immediately seized the opportunity—attacking relentlessly!  

Three of them lunged forward, aiming their blades at Shinji’s back just as he adjusted his posture and landed.  

A chill ran down Shinji’s spine. Instinctively, he rolled forward, barely dodging the deadly strikes. As he lifted his head to rise, he found Ebizo already mid-air, bringing down his massive blades with brutal force.  

Forced into a tight spot, Shinji quickly formed a single-handed "Tatsu" seal, unleashing Wind Release: Gale Palm to propel himself backward, landing with a stumble.  

This unexpected situation left Shinji momentarily stunned.  

His crimson snake-like eyes narrowed slightly as he scanned the battlefield, taking in Ebizo’s labored breathing and the pain etched on his face, along with his six puppets.  

He recognized these puppets immediately.  

This was the Second Kazekage’s ultimate technique—The White Secret Technique: Ten Puppets of Chikamatsu.  

Each had a distinct role:  

• A female puppet wielding two large swords,  

• A blue-masked puppet manipulating pointed ropes,  

• Two red-and-white-masked puppets that could combine into a rapidly spinning four-edged chakra blade,  

• Three Monk Puppets equipped with unique abilities,  

• A white-haired puppet capable of extending its arms to launch spikes and bombs,  

• A Bull-Head Puppet specializing in close combat and defense. 

Unlike Chiyo, who could perfectly control all ten puppets to create suffocating attacks and an impenetrable defense—while also being proficient in medical ninjutsu—Ebizo seemed to control only five at a time and could not fully unleash their power.  

However, he compensated with his forbidden technique—Dance of the Puppet Bond, a different application of puppet jutsu.  

Instead of just controlling puppets, this technique merged puppet abilities into his own body, effectively transforming himself into the sixth puppet—a human puppet!  

Now, dancing alongside his five puppets, his close-combat abilities were greatly enhanced.  

And that was not all.  

In the blink of an eye, Ebizo summoned the remaining Chikamatsu Ten Puppets one by one.  

Then, various puppet components flew out, piercing into his own body—causing blood to splatter in every direction.  

His figure transformed into a towering puppet-like form,  

• His left arm was equipped with a colossal slashing blade,  

• His right arm sprouted a high-speed spinning four-edged chakra saw,  

• His chest and abdomen were embedded with hidden compartments containing concealed weapons and extending ropes,  

• His back and legs were further reinforced with puppet mechanisms. 

At this moment, Shinji couldn’t help but feel like he was watching Iron Man suit up.  

As the transformation completed, Ebizo—his entire body now drenched in blood and nearly fully converted into a puppet—suddenly lifted his head.  

His face twisted in pain and malice as he locked eyes with Shinji. Then, with a sharp cough, he spat out a mouthful of blood.  

Yet, a wicked grin stretched across his face.  

"Brat, you think you're tough?"  

"Come!"  

"Today, I will personally send you to meet Uchiha Madara!"  

As soon as the words fell—  

A blue flame erupted from his back, propelling him forward at blinding speed!  

A punch, carrying the force of a raging storm, came crashing down!  

At the same time, the four-edged chakra saw on his right arm spun furiously, drilling straight for Shinji’s face!  

Shinji’s crimson snake-like eyes shrank sharply.  

At such extreme speed, he had just enough time to raise the Kusanagi Sword to block!  

Zzzt! Zzzt! Zzzt!  

Sparks flew as the four-edged chakra saw ground against the Kusanagi Sword!  

Ebizo violently swung his left hand, seizing the opportunity—  

His massive blade pierced straight through Shinji’s abdomen, lifting him high into the air before hurling him away!  

Immediately after, he flexed his puppet-enhanced arms, fingers twitching—  

With a ferocious shout, he activated—  

"Puppet Technique: Three Treasures Suction Crush!"  

Simultaneously—  

The three Monk Puppets swiftly leaped into position behind Shinji, forming a triangle formation.  

Their seals were formed, their mechanisms triggered—  

In an instant—  

A terrifying storm suddenly erupted out of nowhere, forming a violent tornado that swept Uchiha Shinji into its center. 

Suspended mid-air, with a gaping hole in his abdomen, Uchiha Shinji felt a jolt in his heart as he was relentlessly dragged backward, spiraling toward the core of the Sanbao Collapse formation.  

The Sanbao Collapse technique operated like a blender. It compressed any absorbed material at its center before ejecting it from the back of the formation, pulverizing the material entirely.  

If he got caught in this move, not even his Orochi Substitution Technique could save his life.  

A chill ran down Uchiha Shinji’s spine. He immediately turned his back, channeled his chakra into the Kusanagi Sword, and began weaving signs. With his left hand forming the Snake (巳) sign and his right hand forming the Dragon (辰) sign, he opened his mouth and infused the wind-element Vacuum Blade air mass onto the water-element Water Fang Blade. He completed the combination technique: Gale Whirlpool Sword!  

A streak of blue light shot from the tip of the sword directly into the eye of the Sanbao Collapse formation. The reverse-blade winds and fragmented water blades exploded instantly, forcefully clogging the core of the formation.  

As the winds ceased, Uchiha Shinji was about to leap and land safely when—  

Suddenly, Elder Ebizō shot out in front of him with tremendous force. With a swift motion, his left hand plunged a large blade through Uchiha Shinji’s neck and gripped it tightly.  

The old man’s face contorted into a sinister expression as he forcefully propelled both himself and Uchiha Shinji toward the formation’s eye, where the Gale Whirlpool Sword had been shredded and the Sanbao Collapse was once again surging with explosive power.  

“You old bastard, what the hell are you doing?!”  

Struggling to lift his head, Uchiha Shinji looked at Ebizō in shock and disbelief.  

This old man—wasn’t he trying to escape?  

Why would he now choose to die together with him?  

The series of unexpected events left Uchiha Shinji completely off guard. He had never imagined that Ebizō’s final trump card would be transforming himself into a human puppet, unleashing this kind of self-destructive move!  

However, Uchiha Shinji felt confident he could counter it.  

After all, Ebizō didn’t possess the Sharingan. Just like how a Sharingan-less Kakashi couldn’t fully control the Chidori, the puppetized Ebizō couldn’t perfectly manage this state. As long as Uchiha Shinji avoided being hit by the Sanbao Collapse, victory was still within his grasp!  

But—  

Uchiha Shinji had never expected that this old man, who was cowardly to his core, would choose to fight him in such a brutal and desperate manner—  

Even going so far as to try to perish together with him!  

“Ha… ha ha…”  

As they hurtled toward the eye of the formation, Ebizō’s gaze involuntarily flicked toward a specific direction. A trace of dread flashed in his eyes.  

In that direction, a young man with striking yellow hair and clad in a Konoha jōnin flak jacket had appeared. He crouched low, one hand gripping the hilt of a kunai embedded in the ground.  

It was the sight of this man that had prompted Ebizō to change his mind and resort to such madness!  

Turning back, veins bulged on the hand gripping Uchiha Shinji’s neck as Ebizō glared at him with a twisted expression.  

“Shut up!”  

“You little brat!”  

“If not for you… if not for you… if not for YOU!”  

Ebizō’s wrinkled face trembled violently as he bellowed in rage: 

“I wouldn’t have ended up like this!”  

“Now, I’ll fulfill your wish!”  

“We’ll die together!”  

Suddenly, a hidden compartment on Ebizō’s chest opened, releasing a burst of purple mist as he controlled it with his left hand.  

“Puppet Technique: Poison Fog Spray!”  

The poisonous mist engulfed Uchiha Shinji’s face. His eyes widened in shock as his body immediately stopped responding properly. When he tried to lift an arm to struggle, his legs moved instead.  

Even with his battle instincts, such a potent neurotoxin required some time to adapt before he could regain proper control of his body.  

And in this moment of immobility, Ebizō had found his opportunity!  

He was determined to take Uchiha Shinji with him to the afterlife!  

With this thought, Ebizō, still gripping Uchiha Shinji by the neck, leapt high into the air and hurled himself headlong into the formation’s core.  

A sinister grin curved his lips.  

“Uchiha Shinji!”  

“You’re far too dangerous for Sunagakure to ignore!”  

“Even if I die, I will make sure to eliminate you, this calamity!”  

But—  

In the midst of this dire crisis, a flash of yellow, faster than the eye could follow, streaked through the air.  

The blonde-haired young man in the Konoha jōnin uniform suddenly appeared before the two of them.  

He smiled faintly at Uchiha Shinji and gently raised his hand, as the intricate seal pattern of the Four Symbols Seal unfurled in his palm.  

The wind suddenly stilled.  

As Uchiha Shinji looked up, he heard a clear and gentle voice:  

“Am I late?”  

(End of Chapter) 

*Chapter 162: Minato’s Wrath! Combo Technique: Flash Super Wheel Dance Triple Blade!*

"Am I late?"

At a moment when Ebizo was about to drag them both to a mutual demise,

this sudden greeting, heard out of nowhere, might easily be mistaken for mockery by those unaware of the situation.

Fortunately, Uchiha Shinji understood Minato Namikaze’s sunny disposition. He was about to respond with,

"No, you’re right on time."

But the potent neurotoxin Chiyo had meticulously crafted prevented Uchiha Shinji from speaking.

Instead, his poisoned facial muscles betrayed him. His throat, already slashed by Ebizo,

could only manage to move soundlessly.

At that moment, Minato Namikaze, who had rushed to their aid, looked up just in time to witness the grim scene—

In front of him stood a pale-faced boy staring blankly at him.

Suddenly, the boy coughed up a mouthful of blood, gasping like a fish out of water.

His mouth opened and closed, trying desperately to say something,

but his grievous injuries left him barely alive, more out of breath than in.

The gaping wound in his stomach was so severe that Minato could clearly see his internal organs.

A massive blade was embedded in the boy’s neck, still connected to Ebizo’s arm,

its exaggerated spray of blood painting a horrific scene as though half of his head had been cleaved off.

Any normal ninja would be rendered incapacitated by even one of these injuries.

Yet this boy, for the sake of buying Minato time, had staked his life to make it happen!

At that moment,

the boy’s hot blood splattered across Minato’s face as he flashed to his side.

Minato’s expression froze in shock, rendered speechless by the sight.

His face shifted rapidly from disbelief to pity, sorrow, and finally, a heavy resolve.

"Am I late again?"

Grief gripped Minato as he clenched his fists tightly.

The full moon above shone on his face, half cast in shadow, half stained with the blood of his comrade.

It felt as if a wild beast were tearing at his heart.

Finally, he raised his head, his piercing blue eyes—usually calm as the sky—

now filled with an uncontrollable rage as he locked onto Ebizo, the mastermind behind it all!

At that moment,

standing opposite Minato, Ebizo truly wanted to curse aloud!

His scalp tingled as he stared at the blonde youth barring his path. A chill ran through him at the sheer killing intent directed at him by this stranger he had never met.

Minato might not know it, but Ebizo did. The Uchiha boy he had stabbed to near death,

despite his critical injuries, could recover fully if given just a sliver of respite.

That single Uchiha had nearly pushed him to the brink of defeat.

And now, out of nowhere, came Minato Namikaze, whose speed left him utterly powerless.

For a moment,

Ebizo felt as if he could see his late mentor, the Second Kazekage, smiling and waving at him from the night sky.

“Damn it!”

“I will not die here!”

Clenching his teeth, Ebizo suddenly hatched a plan. He sneered at Minato and said,

“Minato Namikaze, huh? That boy is still alive. If you want to save him, then—”

Before finishing his sentence, Ebizo abruptly released his grip on Uchiha Shinji, flinging him away like a discarded sack of rice.

Then, with a quick flick of his blade, he launched Uchiha Shinji’s body through the air.

Without hesitation, Ebizo raised his hand toward Minato and Uchiha Shinji,

triggering compartments in his chest and palms to fire a flurry of poisoned senbon needles.

Simultaneously, a burst of blue flames erupted from the propulsion system of his puppet, propelling him far away.

As soon as he landed, the old man immediately broke into a desperate sprint without looking back.

Threaten, ambush, escape!

Ebizo’s sequence of actions was flawless, seamlessly reversing the situation and buying himself a sliver of time.

At that moment,

the poisoned needles closed in on Minato and the airborne Uchiha Shinji!

Minato’s pupils narrowed. With a slight tap of his foot, he vanished from his spot,

reappearing mid-air to catch Uchiha Shinji by the shoulder. In an instant, he teleported them both to the initial Flying Thunder God marker within the barrier.

Silently, Minato supported the barely breathing Uchiha Shinji, carefully laying him down on the ground.

His gaze filled with remorse and sorrow as he said,

“I’m sorry, Uchiha Shinji. I came too late.”

Even though Minato had reacted the moment the signal flares were fired, using the Flying Thunder God technique to rush to the scene without delay,

seeing Uchiha Shinji on the verge of death still filled him with guilt.

Minato exhaled heavily, clenching his fists as he made a solemn promise to Uchiha Shinji:

“I’ll be back right away!”

He raised his gaze, looking into the distance at Hanzō, who was recklessly charging toward the edge of the pale red barrier covered in cracks. His expression froze.

“Is his goal to break the barrier and escape?”

“It looks like I’ve been lured away from my post.”

Minato frowned and looked ahead, his gaze sharpening in an instant.

He glanced back at Uchiha Shinji, lying on the ground, his face as pale as a candle flickering in the wind. His hands loosely clutched the shining Konoha forehead protector, while his feet pressed against the boundless desert of the Land of Wind. The tail of his headband ribbon fluttered fiercely in the night wind.

“Carrying the will of my comrades, protecting the families in the village, and defeating powerful enemies…”

“This is my duty right now!”

Namikaze Minato took a deep breath, the anger in his brilliant blue eyes igniting as he fixed his gaze on Hanzō, who was plowing through everything like a bulldozer. He spoke in a low voice:

“I can’t let him run wild any longer!”

With that, Minato prepared to leap forward in an instant pursuit. But just then, a trembling hand suddenly grabbed the hem of his pants.

“Hm?”

Minato froze and looked down.

The next moment, he saw Uchiha Shinji, his neck and face covered in blood, pale as a ghost. Uchiha Shinji raised his hand and opened his palm toward Minato as if asking for something.

“Kunai…”

With difficulty, he manipulated his broken throat to utter that word.

At this moment, Minato was still young and had not yet mastered the Rasengan. Uchiha Shinji believed that Minato could defeat Hanzō but doubted whether his current strength was enough to kill Hanzō, who had transformed himself into a human puppet.

This was especially true because, just as Hanzō had thrown him aside, Uchiha Shinji had used his Sharingan to see an uninvited guest approaching from the distance.

Outside the barrier, at the far end of the desert, a man with short brown hair wearing a black ninja uniform was speeding toward them, stepping through the wind and sand.

This man was none other than the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, the very assassination target of Konoha’s mission.

“You… you still want to fight?!”

Minato’s expression changed drastically as he looked at Uchiha Shinji, who was barely clinging to life.

Uchiha Shinji didn’t speak; in fact, he couldn’t. His throat was now completely destroyed. All he could do was meet Minato’s gaze with resolute determination.

Minato was silent for a moment, interpreting this as Uchiha Shinji’s final wish. After thinking it over, he finally nodded, pulled out a specially-made kunai from his tool pouch, and knelt down.

His hands trembled as he placed the kunai solemnly into Uchiha Shinji’s hand.

Then, Minato spoke in a grave tone:

“Then I entrust my back to you, Uchiha Shinji!”

“This is our fight together.”

“In that case, I’ll name this move…”

“Combo Technique: Flash Super Wheel Dance Roaring Final Farewell Slash!”

Saying this, Minato’s gaze wavered slightly, as if he couldn’t bear to look directly at Uchiha Shinji. He turned his head sharply and gave a low shout:

“Are you ready? Let’s go!”

In the next instant, Minato let go and disappeared in a flash, turning into a streak of yellow light moving at a speed even faster than the jet flames from Hanzō’s puppet tail. The sandstorm churned violently as he charged toward the enemy.

The distance between them closed rapidly in mere moments.

At this time, behind Minato, Uchiha Shinji was finally regaining control of his body despite the effects of neurotoxins. His state was somewhat reminiscent of the time he was caught in Uchiha Shinichi’s genjutsu—having to use his hands as feet and his feet as his head. Fortunately, such challenges weren’t difficult for Uchiha Shinji to overcome. After readjusting to his body, he immediately opened his mouth wide.

Soon, a pale arm extended from his mouth, ripping his body apart.

A completely unscathed Uchiha Shinji emerged from within, reborn.

Half of his old body was still stuck in his mouth as he glanced at Minato, who was rushing forward without looking back. A vein throbbed on Uchiha Shinji’s forehead as he muttered in frustration:

“What kind of awful name is that?”

“Flash Super Wheel Dance Roaring Final Farewell Slash?”

He shook his head, yanked the special kunai from his discarded body’s hand, and pulled another Flying Thunder God kunai from the sand that had been left there as a marker.

Gripping the two kunai between his fingers and drawing the Kusanagi sword with his other hand, Uchiha Shinji’s crimson snake-like eyes narrowed as he locked onto the fleeing Hanzō.

A grin spread across his face as he strode forward.

“Wrong!”

“This move should be called…”

“Combo Technique: Flash Super Wheel Dance Roaring Undying Three-Blade Slash!”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 163: Rasa’s Decision, Ebizō’s Death!*

At this moment,

In the desert near the edge of the barrier.

“It feels so quiet.”

“Minato Namikaze didn’t follow us? And that Uchiha brat, either?”

Staring at the endless desert, where only the howling wind and drifting sand remained, Ebizō felt a pang of unease.

But he quickly cast aside such thoughts, narrowing his eyes to look at the pale red barrier, now covered in cracks.

After being struck by the aftershock of a Fire Release Chakra Mode attack from Uchiha Shinji, the barrier was now on the verge of collapse, no longer as sturdy as before. This realization filled Ebizō’s heart with joy.

“It’s close, so close!”

“This barrier can’t stop me anymore!”

“All the relentless fighting up to now hasn’t been for nothing!”

Ebizō strode forward, looking out past the barrier toward the Sand Village reinforcements rushing in this direction.

Among them was the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, who had come to save him!

He had assumed that this young man, whose mind was filled with political schemes, lacked the resolve to lead and was unfit to secure the future of the Sand Village. For a long time, Ebizō had opposed Rasa’s ascension to the position of Kazekage.

But now, it seemed he had been too harsh on the younger generation.

Look at him—Rasa, as the Kazekage, wasn’t he reliable after all?

Still, why was he here?

“Never mind, it’s irrelevant now.”

Ebizō shook his head, the puppet armor on his back spewing flames as he fixed his gaze firmly on the front, filled with hope.

“It’s close, so close!”

“As long as I reach that point!”

“In the future, too, as long as we Sand shinobi unite and work together, as long as we never stop moving forward, the path will continue to extend!”

However—

At that very moment—

SCREECH—  

A sudden noise, like brakes screeching, reached Ebizō’s ears.

Startled, he looked up and realized the sound came from beyond the barrier.

---

At the same time—

Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, was rushing toward this direction.

He, too, saw Ebizō, trapped alone within the barrier.

But the moment he laid eyes on Ebizō,

Rasa abruptly stopped in his tracks, his face filled with shock.

What the hell?  

Why is this stubborn old man here?  

Why is this inflexible relic standing in the middle of the secret route I designed for a safe arrival at the frontline?!  

Moreover, judging by his bruised and battered appearance, it seemed as if he’d barely escaped death!

Rasa’s heart skipped a beat.

He immediately realized this was a critical moment of decision for him!

Here, at this precise location, with his Gold Dust Burial technique, he could easily gather the gold dust within a half-kilometer radius and crush the barrier in an instant, rescuing Ebizō.

However—

For the sake of becoming the Kazekage, he had already sacrificed so much and borne so many burdens.

Yet his authority was still often obstructed in the village!

Ebizō and Chiyo, those two old relics, along with the senior officials, held tight control over Sand Village’s military and government. This left him, the Kazekage, with an empty title, forced to risk his life just to secure this hollow position.

Was this what he truly wanted?

Now—

If he saved Ebizō, it might change the old man’s opinion of him, gain his support, and finally solidify his position as Kazekage.

Or—

Rasa’s eyes turned cold in an instant. Standing motionless, he stared expressionlessly at Ebizō, who was rushing toward him with desperation.

In the moonlight, half of Rasa’s face was shrouded in shadow, leaving only an aura of gloom and darkness.

Then, in the next moment—

A flash of yellow light burst forth behind Ebizō!

A young man clad in a Konoha jonin vest appeared as if out of thin air behind Ebizō, gripping a kunai in reverse and thrusting it viciously toward his throat!

A clear, furious voice echoed through the desert:

“Ebizō!”

“Carrying the will of my comrades and the mission of my village, I cannot lose!”

“This is the Combination Technique: Flashing Super Wheel Dance Final Farewell Slash!”

Ebizō suddenly raised his head, his face twisting into a grimace. His enraged roar reverberated across the entire desert!

“Impossible!”

“There’s no way I’ll fall here!!!”

At this moment,

Within the barrier,

Ebizō roared as he turned around, staring at Minato Namikaze leaping toward him with a speed so suffocating it sent shivers down his spine.

Such incredible swiftness was beyond the reach of human perception!

Dealing with Uchiha Shinji's speed alone had already given Ebizō a headache. He had used every single one of his lion puppets and thrown almost all the ninja tools he carried, relying on a barrage of firepower to push his opponent back!

Now, he could no longer execute a maneuver of the same scale, and even if he did, it might not be enough to stop someone even faster than Uchiha Shinji—Minato Namikaze.

Since that was the case,

he had no choice but to...

"If I can't match your speed as a human—"

"Then—"

"I'll abandon my humanity!"

Ebizō's eyes bulged, veins popping as his bloodshot gaze burned with intensity. His face, covered in blood, resembled that of a demon.

Suddenly, he raised his hand and plunged his fingers into his chest, flooding his body with chakra strings.

"Art of Manipulation: Human Puppet Technique!"

This was an advanced secret technique of human puppetry, enabling him to control his own body like a puppet,

thereby surpassing human limits!

In an instant, Ebizō's previously stiff movements became unnervingly smooth.

Pressing his palm to the ground, he unleashed Wind Style: Gale Palm, creating a powerful gust of wind that propelled him into the air, dodging Minato's inevitable strike. After a series of clumsy rolls, he crashed back down to the ground.

From the mechanical compartments on his back emerged a pair of puppet eyes, which shot into his eye sockets, bursting his natural eyes. Blood streamed down his wrinkled face as the puppet eyes spun and locked firmly onto Minato.

"I can see it clearly now. I can see all your movements!"

"Minato Namikaze!"

A sinister grin spread across Ebizō's face.

"By using this human puppet technique, I’m already doomed!"

"You’ve won!"

"Konoha has won!"

"But you vile brats, I’ll take you all with me to accompany Sunagakure's future to the grave!"

Minato didn’t respond; he simply stared coldly at Ebizō.

In a flash, he flung four Flying Thunder God kunai, turning into a yellow blur as he charged toward Ebizō!

He couldn't be sure if Ebizō was bluffing, so he had to ensure he claimed Ebizō’s head.

"Flying Thunder God Slash, hmm? Heh, I’ve seen it before. As long as your kunai can’t reach me, how do you plan to defeat me?"

With a cold chuckle, Ebizō retrieved a scroll from his mechanical compartments. Pressing his hand against it, he made hand seals and blew.

"Scroll Art: Infernal Prison Formation!"

"Wind Style: Wind Cutter Technique!"

"Combined Ninjutsu: Infernal Wind Formation!"

Violent flames erupted, creating a sea of fire where no human could stand.

Four wind blades, like fiery arrows, shot out and deflected Minato's kunai while turning his footing into a burning pool of flames.

Minato frowned slightly, retreating to avoid the fire. Then, in the blink of an eye, he moved through the gaps in the flames, circling around to Ebizō’s blind spot to throw another kunai. He instantly teleported, aiming a kunai at the back of Ebizō’s neck!

Ebizō was startled. "That fast?!"

Fortunately, he was no longer entirely human. He immediately tilted his head, and the puppet compartments on his back opened, releasing a hail of poisoned needles at Minato.

Minato teleported back to his original spot, frowning deeply.

Right now, he lacked a way to quickly break through Ebizō’s defenses and inflict significant damage. If this dragged on, he’d have to rely on repeated assassination attempts to wear Ebizō down,

although, eventually, he would win.

But this was deep in Sunagakure’s territory, and he had noticed the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, moving toward the barrier only to mysteriously stop.

His time was running out.

"Should I summon Gamabunta for help? Or force a breakthrough with sealing techniques?" Minato furrowed his brow, his hands already forming seals as he contemplated.

At the very least, he needed to leave the Flying Thunder God’s mark on Ebizō. That way, he’d have unlimited opportunities to strike.

However,

at that moment,

a figure suddenly brushed past Minato, leaping straight into the sea of fire!

It was Uchiha Shinji!

He sprinted forward, raising both hands and unleashing eight gleaming blades, which shot out like streaks of cold light!

The eight kunai flew through the air, colliding and changing trajectories before hurtling toward Ebizō!

Ebizō’s puppet eyes darted back and forth, tracking the kunai's ricochet angles, while he continuously deflected them with wind blades.

Once, twice, three times, four times—

When the kunai ricocheted for the fourth time, Ebizō’s eyes began to struggle to keep up.

And yet, the next wave of kunai was already coming!

Eight kunai, sixteen kunai, twenty-four kunai...

A countless number of kunai flew through the air, constantly ricocheting!

Among them, two Flying Thunder God kunai were hidden!

Ebizō felt chills running down his spine as he unleashed waves of Wind Style: Wind Cutter Techniques to slice through the barrage.

Seeing this, Uchiha Shinji smirked and turned his head.

He looked at the astonished Minato and shouted,

"Ready? Let’s go!"

There was no time to wonder why Uchiha Shinji, who moments ago was on the brink of death, was now so full of energy.

Minato immediately understood his intention fromShinji’s movements, and his eyes lit up.

"You’re planning to—"

Both of them reacted with astonishing speed, displaying seamless coordination!

In an instant,

a yellow flash shot past, overtaking Uchiha Shinji!

At the same time,

Uchiha Shinji ignited his chakra, entering a short-lived Fire Style: Chakra Mode, and drew his Kusanagi Blade, forming a six-foot flame blade!

He charged forward, plunging into the sea of fire, his eyes locked fiercely on Ebizō!

With a ferocious swing of his blade,Shinji forced Ebizō to raise his left arm and block with a large puppet sword!

However, midway through,

the six-foot flame blade shifted from a slash to a thrust, extending with a fiery red edge!

At the same time, Minato grabbed a Flying Thunder God kunai and appeared behind Ebizō, slashing horizontally!

Ebizō widened his bloodshot eyes and narrowly dodged the flaming blade, which only managed to tear off one of his ears.

Then, with a swing of his arm, he controlled four chakra blades, slicing Uchiha Shinji in half at the waist!

The puppet mechanisms on his back also fired a storm of poisoned needles, forcing Minato to retreat immediately!

But then, Ebizō noticed something—

the Uchiha boy in front of him was smiling.

In the next instant,

the second Flying Thunder God kunai fell after its final ricochet!

Minato reappeared behind Ebizō in a flash, catching the kunai effortlessly and spinning to strike!

One clean slash!

Blood sprayed into the air!

Simultaneously, Minato and Uchiha Shinji shouted in triumph:

"This is the Flash Super Roundhouse Requiem Slash, Second Style!"

"This is the Flash Super Roundhouse Undying Three-Blade Slash, Second Style!"

(The chapter ends here.)

*Chapter 164: Mission Accomplished, The Seal of Evil Arts!*

*Boom!*

An aged yet robust figure collapsed into the sea of flames.

The ninja's hallmark of high offense and low defense manifested vividly in that moment.

Half his neck was severed by Minato's strike. Even as a Kage-level powerhouse, his life reached its inevitable end.

Yet, as he fell, Ebizō’s gaze fixated on the barrier before him—faint red, riddled with cracks, as if it might shatter at any moment.

Beyond it stood the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, expressionless and motionless.

Even in his final moments, Ebizō could not understand.

*Why?*

*Why didn’t Rasa act?*

As the Kazekage, why would he stand idly by while his comrades in the village faced peril?

Could he have been caught in a genjutsu? Or was this entire scenario nothing but a mirage conjured atop the desert sands?

Was it merely a figment of his delusion?

“Haha…” Ebizō gasped, his breathing ragged, his eyes bloodshot as he stared unwaveringly in Rasa’s direction.

Clutching his blood-spraying neck in vain, he dragged himself forward step by step.

In his blurred vision, he saw an image of his sister, Chiyo, young and beautiful like a desert rose.

She stood at the village gates with arms open wide, calling out to him:

“Otōto, come to me!”

*Cough!*

Blood gushed from Ebizō’s mouth as his vision grew dimmer, his steps faltering further.

“I see it now, Sister. I finally understand.”

“Someone like me never needed a final resting place.”

“All that matters is to keep moving forward.”

Ebizō staggered ahead, his eyes seemingly filled with the sight of the villagers standing before him, waiting to celebrate his triumphant return.

“Yes, now I understand. My vision… the vision for Sunagakure… everything… everything…”

“As long as we never stop, the road will stretch on endlessly!”

In his final moments, Ebizō struggled to reach the edge of the barrier, his gaze fixed on Rasa outside.

There was no resentment or anger in his eyes—only hope.

“Rasa, can you comprehend this?”

“That is why…”

“Do not let the war cease. Never stop moving forward.”

With his bloodstained fingers, he traced his last mark on the barrier before falling silent.

And so,

One of Sunagakure’s most influential elders, the highest commander of the Sand’s forces in the Land of Rain battlefield, a master of Wind Release and puppetry,

had his legendary tale draw to a close in the ninja world.

---

Two severed halves of a body fell into the sea of flames.

Uchiha Shinji gasped heavily, using his third and final *Great Serpent Substitution Technique* to spit out a brand-new self.

Standing up again, his crimson snake-like eyes locked on the figure of Rasa, who stared indifferently through the barrier. Only after confirming Ebizō’s death did Rasa begin striding forward.

With each step Rasa took, a *Magnet Release Sand Platform* rose beneath him, lifting him high into the air.

Moments later, a tsunami-like surge of gold sand rose from below,

layer upon layer building higher and higher,

until it obscured the heavens themselves!

The massive wave of gold sand crashed down toward the barrier like the wrath of the apocalypse.

Witnessing this catastrophic scene,

Uchiha Shinji’s eyes narrowed slightly. He turned to the young man beside him and asked,

“Minato, can you still fight?”

Beside him, Namikaze Minato’s eyelids twitched slightly as he watched Uchiha Shinji’s series of maneuvers.

Although he knew Uchiha Shinji was Orochimaru’s disciple, he hadn’t expected

this young Uchiha to have already mastered Orochimaru’s techniques so proficiently in such a short time.

“Ah, the opponent is the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa!”

Minato nodded, taking a deep breath, his gaze showing no trace of fear.

Uchiha Shinji frowned, speaking in a deep voice:

“Why is he here? Wasn’t Orochimaru supposed to assassinate him?”

Minato was silent for a moment before replying,

“The plan changed. We intercepted Pakura and Chiyo instead. Rasa wasn’t at the location given in the intel. That area has turned into a direct battlefield now, with Lord Orochimaru and Jiraiya-sensei fighting there.”

Hearing this, Uchiha Shinji’s expression shifted, his eyes falling on Rasa, who was slowly flying toward them.

He couldn’t help but lick his parched lips.

He had already killed Ebizō, the highest commander of Sunagakure’s forces—this storyline had deviated far beyond its original course.

At this point, Uchiha Shinji felt a reckless defiance rising within him. If things were already broken, he might as well go all in.

"So, you're saying the target has finally come before us!"

"Maybe we can finish him off right here."

Hearing this, Minato couldn't help but glance at Uchiha Shinji with a peculiar expression and shake his head.

"No, you've already done enough."

As he spoke, he took a scroll from his pocket and tossed it to Uchiha Shinji.

"This is something Lord Orochimaru left for you."

Catching the scroll, Uchiha Shinji noticed it was a summoning scroll. When he opened it, the first thing that caught his eye was a large "Snake" character.

"Orochimaru left this for me?"

He furrowed his brows slightly and formed a simple hand sign.

Bang!  

From the scroll, a puff of summoning smoke rose, and a small white snake with a shrunken head and tail appeared on the scroll.

"A messenger snake?"

Uchiha Shinji was no stranger to this little white snake; he had seen one before the night he mastered the Summoning Jutsu.

This type of snake was an advanced version developed from the functions of the Summoning and Reverse Summoning Jutsus for delivering messages.

Not only did it enhance secrecy and initiative in intelligence delivery, but if intercepted, the snake could destroy the message autonomously. Additionally, due to the extensibility of the Snake's Mouth Binding Jutsu, it could transport not only messages but even small amounts of supplies.

It was considered a top-tier intelligence transmission method.

However, it was extremely costly to produce, difficult to cultivate, and there weren't many snakes in Ryuchi Cave that met the modification criteria.

Staring at the snake, Uchiha Shinji frowned slightly.

"Does Orochimaru have intelligence to pass on to me? Or is he asking me to deliver something?"

Minato took two steps forward, picked up Ebizō's corpse, and threw it in front of Uchiha Shinji. Although his expression showed a hint of reluctance, his tone was solemn as he said:

"A ninja's corpse is a natural treasure trove of intelligence. And since Ebizō was the Sand's top commander..."

"If we can extract the information in his brain, we've already won half the battle."

"So..."

At that moment—

Boom!  

Crack!  

A massive wave of gold sand surged forward, crashing violently against the pale red barrier and grinding it until it cracked inch by inch!

Web-like fractures spread across the barrier's surface, accompanied by the sounds of pressing and bursting.

Above them, Rasa stood on a platform of sand, raising one hand and coldly staring down at the two within the barrier.

He shouted in a deep voice:

"Leave Ebizō's corpse, and I'll let you go!"

"Otherwise—"

"You'll die!"

At this point, Rasa had finally appeared.

His first demand was for Ebizō's body.

To him, a living Ebizō posed uncertainties and potential trouble.

But a dead Ebizō? That was a valuable asset!

Not only could he bring the body back to manipulate Elder Chiyo emotionally, but he could also suppress political rivals, discredit the Sand's frontline strategies, and create opportunities for himself to intervene. It was a win on multiple fronts.

There was no way Rasa would let such an opportunity slip away.

However, the two inside the barrier showed no interest in Rasa's threats.

Minato, being proficient in Sealing Jutsu and the Flying Thunder God Technique, was nearly untouchable unless forced into a desperate fight.

As for Uchiha Shinji...

He simply wasn't the type to back down. He even seemed eager to take Rasa on directly!

Hearing Rasa posturing from above, Uchiha Shinji frowned deeply. He thought to himself, I'm not even out there messing with you yet, and you're already running your mouth?  

Annoyed, he shouted at the airborne Rasa:

"Shut up!"

"I'll come out and kill you in a moment!"

"You—!" Rasa was fuming, glaring angrily at Uchiha Shinji with increasing hostility.

The surrounding gold sand surged even more violently, shaping into various forms in Rasa's hands as he relentlessly attacked the barrier.

Meanwhile, within the barrier—

Under Uchiha Shinji's watchful gaze, the little white snake coughed and struggled but failed to produce a scroll with any intelligence.

This puzzled Uchiha Shinji, who stepped forward, squatted down, grabbed the snake like a sack, and pried its mouth open.

"Are you kidding me? Did you swallow the scroll and digest it?"

"Spit it out already!"

As Uchiha Shinji tried to figure it out, the snake suddenly lashed out. It broke free from his grip, slithered up his arm, and bit down hard on the Heaven's Curse Mark on his neck.

Pfft!  

In the next moment, Uchiha Shinji's pale skin transformed into a network of black patterns visible to the naked eye. The patterns then retracted into the curse mark, and a black ring of sealing symbols appeared around it, forcibly suppressing the flow of natural energy and locking it down tightly.

*Sealing Jutsu: Evil Sealing Method!*

The little white snake sucked out all the natural energy in Uchiha Shinji's body to ensure nothing remained. Then, it injected a potent paralyzing venom through its fangs.

Bang!  

Uchiha Shinji's eyes rolled back as he collapsed weakly, his face planting into a pile of sand.

Afterward—

The little white snake opened its mouth wide and used the Snake's Mouth Binding Technique to swallow him whole. It then slithered over to Ebizō's corpse and swallowed that as well.

Finally, under the calm and detached gaze of Minato, the little white snake transformed into a wisp of smoke and disappeared, summoned by Orochimaru hundreds of miles away.

At this moment—

Minato looked up at the brilliant cascade of golden sand pouring down from the shattered barrier.

A gentle smile appeared on his face.

"Sorry,"

"Uchiha Shinji, you've done enough."

"From here on out, leave this to me!"

His gaze firmed as he spread his hand, revealing a Flying Thunder God Kunai between his fingers.

In the next instant—

Minato transformed into a streak of barely perceptible yellow light, charging straight at the oncoming Gold Sand Burial!

*(End of Chapter)*

Chapter 165: Obito: "You're Telling Me You Actually Became a Jonin?!"

Land of Fire, Konoha Army Camp.

Inside a specially designated medical tent in the camp,

Uchiha Shinji opened his eyes.

The first thing he saw was a dark green canvas ceiling overhead.

The scent of blood, intensified by sunlight filtering through the tent, lingered in the air around him.

In the background, there was a faint, chaotic mix of clattering sounds—hammering, sawing, and voices he found eerily familiar.

From outside the tent, he heard:

"Three of a kind!"

"Royal Flush!"

"Kakashi, what kind of play is that?!"

"It’s three of a kind! What’s the problem? I only have one card left."

"As expected of my eternal rival, Kakashi! Fine, I'll do 500 push-ups, and if I can't finish, I'll run 20 laps around the camp!"

"Ahhhh! You idiot! Why didn’t you break his hand?!"

Hearing this commotion, Uchiha Shinji shot up in bed, his brow twitching in irritation.

What the hell is this Konoha drama theater?! he thought. Just from their voices, I can already tell it’s Obito, Kakashi, and Might Guy.  

The real question was, why were the three of them in the Rain Country war zone?

And more importantly, why were they playing cards here?!

“Ah, you’re awake?”

A young girl with short brown hair and two violet stripes of face paint approached him, carrying a tray.

She wore a long-sleeved black shirt, a pale pink skirt layered over tights, and a red bracelet on her wrist. Her smile radiated warmth and brightness.

The tray was filled with surprisingly modern-looking medical supplies: a tray stand, gauze jars, a stethoscope, a blood pressure monitor, scissors, ointment... Clearly, she was here to change his dressings.

Only then did Uchiha Shinji notice the aching soreness all over his body. It felt like he’d run ten marathons in a row, and all his organs were crying out in pain.

But that didn’t matter.

When he saw her, his brow arched slightly.

Wasn’t this his little brother Obito’s crush, Nohara Rin?

Soon, Rin walked closer and placed the tray on a cabinet beside his bed.

She then poked her head out of the tent and called out:

“Obito, the friend you wanted to visit is awake now!~”

The moment she said this, a commotion erupted outside the tent.

“What?! Rin called me? But I haven’t played my card yet! This is bad timing!”

Not long after,

a boy wearing a Tom-like grin, shaded goggles, a Konoha forehead protector, and a sporty jacket poked his head into the tent. He had a ninja tool pouch strapped to the side of his dark blue pants.

“Rin, thank you so much!”

The moment he entered, Uchiha Obito didn’t even glance at Uchiha Shinji lying on the bed. Instead, he grabbed Rin’s hand and immediately started chatting her up.

“Hehe, without you,Shinji definitely wouldn’t have recovered so fast!”

“How have you been? Has working with the medical team been tiring?”

Uchiha Shinji couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

Even Rin looked a bit overwhelmed by Obito’s enthusiasm, offering a helpless but gentle smile in response.

“Obito, go check on your friend. I still have other things to do~”

With that, Rin picked up her tray and scurried out of the tent, poking her head outside as if looking for a certain white-haired figure.

Obito froze in place, momentarily turning into a statue of heartbreak.

He stood there, staring into the distance, unable to let go of the sight of Rin’s retreating figure.

It wasn’t until her silhouette completely disappeared from view that he scratched his head, finally remembering why he had entered the tent in the first place.

When his gaze met Uchiha Shinji’s, an awkward silence fell over the tent.

It stretched on, so long and uncomfortable it could make anyone’s toes curl with secondhand embarrassment.

Eventually,

Uchiha Shinji broke the silence. He stared at Obito expressionlessly and said,

“Obito… You didn’t come here to visit me at all.”

“Let me give you some advice: You’d better give up on this hopeless crush of yours sooner rather than later.”

Obito coughed twice, pretending not to hearShinji’s snarky remarks. Laughing loudly, he walked closer and slappedShinji’s shoulder, grinning ear to ear.

Then, pointing smugly at his forehead protector, he boasted:

“Ci, you don’t have the qualifications to lecture me right now!”

“Sure, you might have experience from hundreds of D-rank missions, but so what?”

“I, Uchiha Obito, just led a team to complete a B-rank mission!”

“You wouldn’t understand the kind of tension I felt in the rear lines of a smoky battlefield, transporting urgent supplies to the vanguard while on high alert for potential ambushes by Sand ninja.”

“How amazing is that?!”

“If I keep training like this, I’ll climb the ranks—Chunin, Jonin, unlocking the Sharingan, and even achieving the Three Tomoe stage—”

“And ultimately, I’ll become the greatest Fifth Hokage in Konoha’s history!”

Uchiha Shinji stared at Obito, his expression one of shock. "So, you’re just here to show off, huh?"

Still, he found himself at a loss for words.

After all, Obito had just completed a B-rank mission—something Shinji had never experienced.

How was he supposed to respond to that?

Should he mention that he had recently single-handedly fought off 300 Sand Ninja, followed by an exhilarating battle against a Kage-level opponent?

Or that, afterward, he fought side by side with your teacher, Minato Namikaze, to take down the commander of the Sand Ninja forces?

What kind of mission would that even qualify as? S-rank? SS-rank?

No, no, that wouldn’t work!

If he said that out loud, it’d sound like a tall tale. Obito would probably think he was bragging.

So, Uchiha Shinji decided to change tactics.

He sharply caught a flaw in Obito’s words, raised an eyebrow, and mercilessly exposed it:

"Obito, B-rank missions are only available to Chunin, right?"

"As far as I know, the only Chunin on your team is Kakashi Hatake.

Doesn’t that mean Kakashi was the one leading the mission, while you just tagged along?"

"Could it be… you were just there to make up the numbers?"

"And another thing…"

Obito’s exaggerated grin froze instantly.

Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead.

Panicking, he quickly peeled an apple and stuffed it into Uchiha Shinji’s mouth, preemptively blocking what he assumed would be an even more devastating attack.

"Alright, alright, stop talking already!"

"So what if I’m not a Chunin yet? Once I awaken these eyes, I’ll not only surpass that arrogant white-haired show-off, but I’ll also become a Jonin before he ever could!"

Obito huffed, his nostrils flaring, proudly pointing at his shining eyes with his thumb.

But just then—

A flurry of hurried footsteps suddenly sounded from outside the tent!

The tent’s entrance was abruptly thrown open by a large hand.

Two figures stepped in: one was a young man with a smug look, wearing dark sunglasses and a black cloak, and the other was a pineapple-haired youth draped in a deerskin coat.

Obito looked up and was stunned.

He didn’t recognize the man in sunglasses, but the pineapple-haired one—that was Nara Shikaku, the strategist in charge of assigning missions at the camp!

Obito was about to approach Shikaku cheerfully, hoping to strike up a connection to get better missions in the future.

However—

Shikaku stepped into the tent, his gaze landing squarely on Uchiha Shinji.

His tone was solemn as he spoke:

"Uchiha Shinji,"

"Come with us."

"We’re holding your Jonin promotion ceremony right now."

(End of Chapter)