LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 20: Chapter 20: One Blade
Chapter 20: One Blade
In the dense forest, a group of Sunagakure shinobi moved stealthily.
The disappearance of any organization's leader would be catastrophic, let alone the vanishing of a village's Kage.
From Sunagakure's perspective, the most likely culprit behind the Kazekage's disappearance was their neighboring village—Konohagakure. Only Konoha possessed the capability to make the Kazekage vanish without a trace.
It couldn't have been someone from their own village, could it? After all, the Kazekage was the strongest among them!
This squad, led by Jonin Pakura, had been dispatched to disrupt the Land of Fire. The hope was that by scattering Konoha's forces, Sunagakure could better search for their missing Kazekage.
Suddenly, Pakura raised her hand, signaling her team to halt.
In the distance, the sharp cry of a hawk echoed. A large black hawk swooped down from above, its massive wings casting a shadow. On the hawk's back stood a boy, his pale face emanating an eerie sternness. His deep, abyss-like eyes seemed to devour everything they gazed upon.
"Greetings, Sunagakure shinobi."
"I am Uchiha Kagami."
…
Pakura furrowed her brows, letting out a cold laugh.
"A child wearing a ninja headband yet unaware of the most basic ninja principles?"
Ninjas were assassins hidden in the shadows, not warriors seeking a fair and honorable fight.
Whoosh!
A fiery red ball of flame curved toward the giant hawk. Though the fireball wasn't particularly fast, it was unnervingly stable and radiated extreme heat. This was Pakura's Kekkei Genkai—Scorch Release.
By combining the attributes of wind and fire chakra, Scorch Release created an elemental nature transformation of terrifying potency. Anyone caught in its flames would have their body fluids evaporated instantly, leaving only a desiccated corpse.
Pakura had no patience to play ninja games with this child. Uchiha or not, it was best to eliminate him quickly.
Boom!
Kagami dispelled the summoning technique, releasing a cloud of smoke that obscured their vision.
Whoosh!
A shuriken flew out of the smoke, then split into two, then four...
Until the air was filled with countless spinning projectiles.
Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!" Pakura quickly formed hand seals, raising a solid earth barrier to block the oncoming storm of shuriken.
As a Jonin, mastering several basic techniques was standard practice.
She wondered why Konoha had sent a mere child to confront her squad. If Konoha knew of their presence, they should've at least dispatched a few notable Jonin.
As Pakura inwardly criticized Konoha's tactical decisions, a scream pierced the air behind her.
"Argh!!!"
When she turned around, the sight froze her in place: her squad members lay lifeless, pools of blood forming around their bodies.
How was this possible?
These were elite Chunin of the village!
Even a Jonin couldn't have wiped them out so quickly.
As Pakura took in the carnage, an icy dread crept through her veins.
Kakashi withdrew his blade from a Sand shinobi's chest and approached Minato.
"Sorry, I took two seconds longer than planned."
The earlier scream had been from Kakashi's target. As for the rest of the squad...
They hadn't even had time to feel pain before their lives ended.
Minato, his warm smile unchanged despite the bloodshed, reassured him, "You did great. Far better than I was at your age."
Kakashi knew Minato was trying to comfort him, but he was well aware that, at the same age, Minato had already saved Kushina from a group of Cloud shinobi.
Boom!
Pakura's earth wall shattered.
Through the dust stepped Kagami, his face displaying mild irritation. "Against opponents like this, there's no need for distraction tactics."
"This is to teach you the ways of ninja combat," Minato said calmly.
"Jiraiya-sensei entrusted me with your safety. It's important you learn how to fight properly."
Pakura tightened her grip on her kunai, her gaze darting between her adversaries.
She recognized Minato—Konoha's Jonin who had mastered the Second Hokage's Flying Thunder God Technique.
Quickly analyzing the situation, Pakura realized that while she wasn't afraid to face Minato in direct combat, the Flying Thunder God Technique posed a unique threat. The ability to instantaneously strike and retreat made Minato a nightmare opponent.
The fact that he'd already eliminated her entire squad meant his mastery of the technique wasn't just theoretical. If she let him dictate the pace, she'd be slowly worn down and killed.
There was only one solution.
Pakura pivoted sharply and charged at Kagami with blinding speed.
If she could capture this Uchiha boy, she might force Minato to retreat!
"You're approaching me instead of running away?"
A smirk tugged at Kagami's lips.
How naive.
For his debut battle, it was only fitting to put in a little effort.
His blade, Shirayuki, gleamed like a flowing river of starlight, exuding an inexplicable brilliance.
Pakura surrounded herself with four floating fireballs, ready to incinerate Minato if he dared to approach.
"You can feint all you want, but I'll exploit your need to protect your allies."
Pakura knew the significance of an Uchiha's presence. No matter what, Minato wouldn't abandon him.
"Minato-senpai…"
"Don't worry. Kagami can handle it."
Minato made no move to intervene.
Unbeknownst to Kakashi, Minato had sparred with Kagami numerous times and knew his younger disciple's strength well. If not for the Flying Thunder God's superior mobility, Minato admitted he might've lost.
Comparing anyone to Minato only dimmed their brilliance.
It was something Jiraiya often said.
But now, he rarely mentioned it.
"That kid is a true genius," Minato murmured.
Genius.
The word had followed Kakashi since he began training, making him the envy of the ninja academy. But standing beside Kagami and Minato, he realized just how far he was from being a true genius.
…
Sukuna's techniques included Cleave and Dismantle.
Cleave delivered a perfectly calibrated, lethal strike based on the target's strength and curse energy.
Kagami had adapted these concepts from Sukuna, creating his Thousand Blades Cascading Starfall, a high-frequency directional slashing technique resembling a flurry of blades converging at a single point.
While Sukuna's Cleave required direct contact, Kagami's Sharingan allowed his techniques to activate through sight alone.
Pakura's movements slowed, as if she were trudging through molasses. Every small action became excruciatingly deliberate.
She noticed the change.
But it was too late.
Kagami was less than ten meters away—a seemingly short distance that now felt like an impassable chasm.
The blade's arc was cold as frost, its gleam sharp as moonlight.
The strike appeared simple—a mere horizontal slash. Yet to Pakura, it was incomprehensible, as if an overload of chaotic information had been forcibly injected into her mind, paralyzing her thoughts.
The only thing she could hear was a cacophony of cicadas, their cries maddeningly loud.
…
Sukuna observed through the seal.
He had known Kagami was developing this technique but didn't expect him to succeed so soon.
"Sharingan… Is it those eyes?"
The Cursed Energy Realm also had legendary eyes similar to the Sharingan. But from what Sukuna could discern, the Sharingan had even greater potential.
And this boy was intentionally holding back its evolution…
This body… was far more suitable as a vessel than Megumi's.
But this damned seal! Why couldn't he break it?
If Kagami grew even stronger, Sukuna feared he might never escape.
Outside, Kagami's form flickered like mist, his body turning incorporeal.
With a single slash, he passed through Pakura.
"Slash Release: One Blade - Cicada's Dirge."
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