Chapter 10: Chapter 9: Water Dragon Bullet? No, Tenth Form: Constant Flux! (Part 2)
Chapter 9: Water Dragon Bullet? No, Tenth Form: Constant Flux!
Time rewinds to one hour ago, right after Itachi and Sasuke/Giyu parted ways.
In the instant Itachi left Training Ground Four, a slender black cat appeared beside him.
It was wearing a vest and carrying a small backpack - Itachi's ninja cat.
"Did you find out who it is?" Itachi squatted down and whispered, while taking out a spicy dried fish from his ninja tools pouch and handed it over.
The cat's taste buds were just that peculiar.
"It's Lord Fugaku, meow."
The black cat happily curled up its tail and chewed on the dried fish for a few moments before swallowing it, clearly enjoying it.
"He's hiding deep in the woods over there, using Wind Release chakra to blur his presence. I almost didn't notice him, meow."
Itachi narrowed his eyes.
"No wonder I felt an inexplicable pressure before, but without any hostility..."
Since the lunch they had together earlier, Itachi had a strange feeling, so he used the excuse of going to the restroom to come to this corner and summon the cat with exceptional vision to investigate the surroundings.
The result was similar to his speculation.
After all, he couldn't imagine who else, besides their father, would be so interested in the three of them.
At the moment, Itachi still couldn't grasp when their father started spying on them. How much did he see and hear before?
Did five-year-old Giyu, who awakened his Sharingan, really deserve such attention?
If he also knew about Giyu possessing highly compatible Water Release chakra...
Itachi's expression grew more serious, far beyond what someone his age should have.
The more their father cared about Sasuke, the greater danger Giyu would face, and the higher the possibility of becoming a tool for a coup.
Therefore, Itachi had to find out how much their father knew and what he still wanted to do.
"Thank you for your hard work. Please greet everyone for me when you go back."
Itachi patted the cat's head and released the jutsu.
Then, he created two shadow clones and said to the first one, "I leave the mission to Daimyo's place to you."
"I understand. Be careful."
The first clone disappeared instantly from its original position.
Actually, Itachi was no longer focused on the mission at this point, but Daimyo was an important client, and he couldn't afford to abort this mission.
Itachi turned to the second clone and said, "You should know where Shisui is. let him pay attention to my signal and tell him to come over if he sees it."
"Understood."
The second clone turned around and ran at full speed towards the Uchiha clan's location.
Itachi sighed helplessly.
Although he didn't want to speculate maliciously about his father, the things he had seen and heard in recent years told him that he should always prepare for the worst when predicting the actions of an Uchiha clan member.
If his father truly knew about Giyu's situation and intended to use him against the village...
[Then I'll rely on Shisui's jutsu to change his mind.]
For him it didn't matter what his father asked of him to do, but Sasuke and Giyu were his bottom line, and he couldn't involve them in such matters.
Even if it meant tearing his face apart with his father, he had to stop such a thing from happening.
After the two clones completely disappeared from sight, Itachi quietly returned to Training Ground Four and lurked under the tree marked by the cat.
He activated his Sharingan and finally saw a deep green silhouette twenty meters away. His father used Wind Release chakra to conceal his presence, perfectly blending in with the surrounding leaves.
Having found the target, Itachi immediately averted his gaze to avoid being sensed.
[Even though I've already left, Father is still waiting here...]
[What is he waiting for?]
Itachi furrowed his brow, and his brain worked rapidly, making various speculations.
In the end, he decided to stay here and wait quietly for things to unfold. After all, patience was a fundamental quality of a shinobi.
Five minutes later, the shadow clone searching for Shisui self-dispersed, transmitting the related memories as well.
After a while, Itachi saw a crow perched on a tree branch behind him, indicating that Shisui had arrived nearby and was lurking in the shadows, just like him.
No one could have imagined that several of the most talented Uchiha clan members would gather in Training Ground Four like they were playing a game. They watched each other closely, showcasing the basic ninja skill of surveillance to the fullest.
Soon, an hour had passed.
When Uchiha Enko appeared in this location, Uchiha Itachi couldn't determine if it was also part of his father's plan.
If it was, what did his father, who knew Itachi had a mission at that moment, want Uchiha Enko to do?
Although he knew Shisui was nearby, Itachi was still worried about Sasuke and Giyu getting hurt.
When Uchiha Enko was still a genin, he was like a ticking time bomb, unafraid to openly confront others. He often clashed with members of the clan and was known for his unpredictable behavior.
Based on the information gathered by Itachi, Uchiha Enko had recently failed the Jounin assessment due to his excessive focus on personal performance and unwillingness to cooperate with others. He was criticized on the spot by Elder Homura and became the subject of mockery among the newly promoted Jounin in Konoha.
Since he couldn't prove himself through the assessment, Enko turned his attention to the talented young individuals within the clan, believing that defeating them would demonstrate his Jonin-level strength.
The most prominent among them was Shisui, and naturally, Itachi, who was acknowledged by Shisui, was also a target.
Itachi believed that Enko had a slight edge over him in direct combat, but victory could be achieved through various tactics.
However, Itachi knew that even if he defeated Enko, he would persistently challenge him and never back down. Therefore, Itachi chose to hide and refrained from going to the clan's training grounds.
Unexpectedly, Enko managed to find him in this place.
But when Itachi witnessed Giyu suddenly incapacitating one of Enko's lackey, he was surprised and reached a decision - he couldn't let his father watch any longer.
Itachi was unsure of how much his father knew, but he believed it was better to keep him in the dark.
So, he signaled to the crow, which was Shisui's clone—
[They will be entrusted to you.]
Itachi was confident that he could handle Enko's volatile temperament with his tactics, but Shisui, who possessed superior raw power, would be even more efficient.
[If Father leaves behind a shadow clone, destroy it.]
After relaying the message, Itachi transformed into an Anbu ninja, donning the mask given by Giyu, and skillfully hurled a kunai towards his father's hiding spot, showcasing his exceptional throwing ability.
The kunai flew through the air and was effortlessly caught by Fugaku using two fingers, successfully capturing his attention.
When Itachi met Fugaku's Sharingan, which possessed significantly greater eye power than his own, he felt a surge of unease, as if spiders were crawling up his legs, almost causing him to lose control.
Too powerful!
Is this how his father's enemies felt when facing him?
There was also a gap in their eye power—
[Could it be that Father and Shisui share the same eyes?]
The thought quickly faded away.
Itachi snapped out of his daze and swiftly moved. After leaving Training Ground No. 4, he continued to dash towards the outskirts of Konoha, but his father, who was even faster, quickly caught up and obstructed his path with a barrage of kunai.
At such a close distance, Itachi didn't anticipate that his transformation technique could deceive his father's Sharingan, so he immediately reverted to his original form.
"Father."
Itachi turned around, removing his mask and bowing slightly in a respectful salute.
Despite his respectful demeanor, his face was filled with gloom.
Fugaku's expression wasn't much better after his secret was exposed – even his shadow clone had been silently eradicated.
And he could likely deduce who was responsible.
"Sasuke and Giyu, I have made the necessary arrangements."
Itachi spoke calmly, "Next, I would like to have a conversation with you, between father and son."
A tense atmosphere enveloped the two of them.
Could it be that this father and son duo, who had been in harmony for the past two years, were finally heading towards a confrontation?
…
Meanwhile, on the other side.
[What's going on?]
This was the common thought in the minds of all the Uchiha present, except for Giyu.
Looking at their fellow clansman lying on the ground with closed eyes, they wondered if their own eyes were deceiving them.
Among them, Sasuke had the clearest view, and therefore, he was the most incredulous.
As the young clansman with the rope approached them, perhaps deceived by Giyu's appearance, he showed no signs of vigilance. As a result, Giyu struck him directly below the sternum with a palm, without any warning.
The location where Giyu attacked was the same as when he was out of breath, just with completely different results.
He actually fainted directly?
A ninja with a forehead protector was knocked out cleanly by Giyu's punch?
[How much strength does he have?]
Sasuke thought he had already given his younger brother enough credit, but he realized he was wrong again and even felt a little scared.
He often used to steal Giyu's blanket when sleeping at night.
However, there was no time to ask or be jealous at the moment. He reached for the ninja tool pouch at the back of his hip with his left hand, while holding a kunai in his right hand, standing side by side with Giyu.
Although he didn't know when his brother would return or why he didn't leave a Shadow Clone as usual...
He decided to fight alongside Giyu and not embarrass Itachi, who taught him his techniques.
The other three individuals in the field exchanged glances, their eyes devoid of the previous relaxation.
"Indeed, he is the son of the clan head. Is he overnourished at such a young age?"
Uchiha Enka raised an eyebrow with a tinge of regret and said, "With such strong physical qualities, he refuses to serve the clan and spouts all those reasons... What a waste of his talents."
If Uchiha Fugaku were here, he would really want to shout 'that's not fair.'
"Instead of caring about my physique, you should be concerned about the condition of this clansman."
Giyu retorted expressionlessly, "Judging by your treatment of him, it's clear that if you were in charge, your subordinates would die quickly. The village must have considered this and that's why they didn't let you become a jonin."
As one of the Pillars, he naturally had his own subordinates. But to prevent them from sacrificing themselves, he always completed the hunting missions in his assigned area alone.
It wasn't because he thought he was so powerful that he could handle everything, but because it pained him more than himself to see others killed by demons.
But did ninjas also have the same feelings?
He didn't know.
However, considering Uchiha's style, most people, even if they had such feelings, would never admit it.
"You insolent brat!"
Uchiha Enka was once again hit where it hurt the most, clenching his teeth tightly, wishing he could give Giyu a face-slapping fireball.
"Being knocked down by a six-year-old brat, is it worth caring about such a person?"
He glanced at the unconscious lower-ranking ninja on the ground, combined with his previous experiences of being mocked, and made a rather cruel judgment.
"His ninja career ends here, and the humiliation of this incident will accompany him for the rest of his life!"
[Of course, if he's stimulated to awaken further, it's another matter.]
Upon hearing him say this, the other two lower-ranking ninjas shivered involuntarily.
"We won't talk about today's events, and his reputation won't be tarnished," Giyu's words slightly moved them. Could it be that someone didn't care about such achievements? If it were them, it would probably be a lifelong topic.
"Leave us alone. Don't bother us anymore."
He stared into Uchiha Enka's eyes, analyzing seriously, "And even if Itachi is willing to fight you, with your impulsive and simple mind, you are no match for him. Instead, you would only drag down these clan members and be defeated together. Since you consider failure as disgrace, don't further disgrace yourselves."
[Oh dear!]
Shisui observed from the forest, slapping his forehead.
[I forgot how infuriating Giyu's long speeches can be.]
He had thought he didn't need to appear.
But now, the contradiction had been suddenly intensified!
Apart from Uchiha Enka, who was about to explode in anger, the other two remaining individuals looked at each other, a mix of confusion and anger burning within them.
Especially Uchiha Enka, after being verbally attacked multiple times, he had completely lost his patience with the kid.
"Capture them! Capture them both! I want to hang that brat up and sew his mouth shut!"
He suppressed his impulse to take action with the last bit of reason and shouted angrily, "You two, show some real skills!"
"Yes!"
These two lower-ranking ninjas, just like the one who had been knocked out earlier, were recent graduates of the ninja academy.
After graduation, they refused to be assigned by the village and intended to become subordinates directly under Uchiha Enka once he became a squad leader, in order to avoid prejudice from the Uchiha in the village.
Therefore, even though they were reluctant to take advantage of their strength against weaker opponents, they had to fulfill their superior's orders seriously.
Especially when there was a certain level of danger involved.
"One person for each."
The two lower-ranking ninjas exchanged a glance and assigned tasks, approaching Giyu and Sasuke respectively.
"Can't you understand?"
Giyu looked somewhat confused.
He thought he had analyzed the situation for them, so why were they still entangled and even appeared angry?
The one who should be angry was him, as his nap had been disturbed.
Unlike Giyu, who tried to avoid conflict, Sasuke had an eager look.
"Let me show you my abilities."
Finally, he had a chance for a real fight, which excited Sasuke immensely.
With his small left hand, he swung forward, sending three shuriken in different directions with arcing trajectories toward the person in front of him.
This was the content he had studied that morning, and he didn't expect to use it so soon.
[Using Uchiha's shurikenjutsu against Uchiha? That's not very clever.]
Uchiha Enka and Shisui, who observed from the shadows, both thought.
The latter had a few shuriken between his fingers just in case, but he didn't take action because he wanted to see the abilities of Itachi's two brothers and understand what level they were at, which caused Fugaku, the clan leader, to skip his duties and secretly monitor them here.
After all, with his speed, he could prevent any accidents from happening at this distance.
As expected, the arc-shaped shuriken technique just learned by Sasuke might make civilian shinobi slightly uneasy but had little effect against Uchiha.
"Kid, what you just learned is something I've known for a long time!"
Then the Genin ninja raised his right hand and threw a shuriken, accurately deflecting the shuriken that was about to hit the center. The deflected shuriken veered off and knocked down the shuriken on the far right as well.
As for the last shuriken, it was sent flying by the Genin ninja using a kunai.
He lightly leaped onto a nearby tree, activated his Sharingan, and swiftly threw six high-speed spinning shuriken towards Sasuke from all directions.
"This is my return gift!"
As Sasuke watched the sharp edges approaching him, his face turned pale as he believed he would either die or suffer severe injuries today.
But if he had the Sharingan, he would be able to see that the shuriken's targets were not his body but his position behind him.
The few transparent threads tied to the shuriken were the true protagonists of this move.
After all, the Genin ninja's assigned task was not to kill the clan chief's son but to subdue him.
Therefore, there was no better move in the Uchiha's techniques than this one.
[Shadow Shuriken Technique, huh?]
Observing in secret, Shisui nodded in approval. "He's as skilled as Itachi was at the age of seven. He's a very promising junior."
Just as Sasuke started contemplating his last words due to his lack of understanding of the situation, another Genin ninja chose to engage directly with Giyu.
He swung a sheathed ninja sword towards Giyu's head, but Giyu evaded it by a hair's breadth.
He didn't use the Sharingan or the Transparent World because the Genin ninja's speed was far below that level. He could easily dodge it with the reflexes honed from years of fighting demons.
Taking advantage of the opening, Giyu planned to knock him down with a single strike, just like he did with the previous Genin ninja, but he held back some of his strength this time due to the lesson he learned.
"Bang!"
A muffled sound echoed as Giyu's palm hit the Genin ninja's sword hilt.
However, contrary to his expectations, the Genin ninja didn't fall to the ground directly. He turned pale, took two steps back while clutching his stomach, and his eyes were filled with fear.
Giyu furrowed his brows, perplexed, and used his Transparent World. Only then did he realize that the surface of the other ninja's abdomen was covered with a layer of chakra, acting as a protective film that had already been shattered and was rapidly dissipating.
As for the principle, it was probably similar to what he had done with the chakra paper earlier, redirecting chakra to the muscles and skin tissues surrounding the acupoints.
The fact that the Genin ninja could complete this entire process in the instant, just before he was hit was already extremely impressive.
However, even though he used chakra to shield his body, his stomach was still churning, and sweat continued to pour down his forehead.
[Pain, pain, pain, it hurts so much!]
[If he hits me again, I'm going to throw up!]
As he pondered through the pain, figuring out how to deal with the kid in front of him, Sasuke's desperate scream caught Giyu's attention.
Just as he was about to take action, Uchiha Shisui's eyes widened.
Giyu quickly turned around, grabbed the six threads that had been pulled together behind Sasuke, and forcefully pulled them, causing the Genin ninja on the tree to be yanked down.
[Can he see them?]
Uchiha Shisui's eyes widened as he observed. When Itachi's clone found him, it briefly explained what had happened from last night until now.
But when Giyu casually grabbed those transparent threads, which were even thinner than fishing lines, he didn't even use the Sharingan.
What's going on here?
However, his confusion was quickly replaced by a new shock.
Just as Giyu turned to help Sasuke, the other Genin ninja finally found an opportunity. He raised his sheathed ninja sword and stabbed towards Giyu's back.
"Kid, do you dare to be distracted when fighting a ninja?"
With such force, if the sheathed sword stabbed directly, it could even pierce through a wall.
In this Genin ninja's opinion, even if this kid had a strong body, he would probably be injured. Thus, victory seemed within reach.
However...
Giyu quickly turned around and extended his left index finger, swiftly poking the tip of the sword with precision.
"Water Breathing Technique, Form Seven: Ripple Thrust."
This was a pure physical technique using only the body's power—the Ripple Thrust! Among all the sword forms of the Water Breathing Technique, it was the fastest to execute.
In the next moment, the sheath that Giyu's finger hit actually shattered, bursting into a ripple-shaped circle in mid-air before turning into pieces that fell to the ground.
The Genin ninja felt a strong shock transmitted through the sword, involuntarily releasing the hilt. However, the pain in his hand continued.
Giyu reached out and grabbed the ninja sword, cleanly cutting the six threads held in his right hand. The six shuriken also fell to the ground.
But it didn't end there.
The previous sword-wielding Genin ninja still hadn't recovered, but Giyu had already turned back, using the sword's hilt to strike his neck, causing him to faint immediately.
As for the remaining Genin ninja who had been pulled down from the tree, seeing Giyu approaching him with an expressionless face, he became incredibly nervous and wanted to keep his distance.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Fire Technique!"
He puffed up his cheeks, quickly formed several hand seals, and spewed out a dozen palm-sized flames from his mouth.
These flames, with a speed comparable to the shuriken, curved in an arc as they bit towards Giyu.
However, Giyu faced this red attack fearlessly. He pushed Sasuke away with a throw of his hand and stomped the ground, leaping high into the air like a flying fish, effortlessly leaping over the successive Phoenix Fire waves. In his hand, the ninja sword seemed as if it would directly slash at the neck of the Genin ninja.
"No!"
The Genin ninja shouted desperately, and Giyu immediately threw away the sword and raised his hand. As he landed, he horizontally sliced, hitting the Genin ninja's abdomen.
"Water Breathing Technique, Form One: Surface Slash."
A "thud" sound was heard as the Genin ninja was smashed into the nearby earthen wall, buried under a cloud of dust.
With that, in less than fifteen seconds, the two Genin ninjas had fainted one after another. They either had their eyes rolled back or were unconscious with their eyes like mosquito coils. In any case, they wouldn't be able to stand up in a short time.
In the forest, Uchiha Shisui witnessed everything with his own eyes, his mouth slightly agape, unsure of how to convey it to Itachi later.
Uchiha Sasuke, on the other hand, was completely numb. He pinched his face hard, but he couldn't even feel the pain.
[As expected, it must be an illusion...]
Uchiha Enka felt a bit at a loss.
The first Genin ninja was taken down because he wasn't vigilant at all, so that was forgivable.
But the remaining two had already used all the means available to them without resorting to lethal force—
They used C-rank ninja techniques that theoretically could only be learned by Chunin, but they didn't even leave a scratch on those two brats.
Honestly speaking, even if Uchiha Itachi appeared now and defeated him, he would feel too ashamed to claim victory.
At least in terms of cultivating "subordinates," he was far behind.
Moreover, if his little brother, who hadn't even started school yet, was this exaggerated, then Uchiha Itachi, who was five years older than that brat...
"It's over."
Giyu grabbed the three Genin ninjas and lined them up. "Take them away. This kind of battle is meaningless."
[There is no joy in victory, only guilt for being concerned about their injuries.]
After all, in Giyu's eyes, these people were still just children.
Uchiha Enka didn't speak. He looked at the three subordinates and felt a deep sense of humiliation and frustration, but he also understood that at least two of them had already done their best.
Even if only based on their physical qualities, the strength of this paralyzed brat far surpassed what Genin ninjas could handle.
[Forget it, let's take them back and treat their injuries.]
[There's no face left to stay here.]
[But it's still a bit annoying.]
"Kid, your name is Uchiha Giyu, right?"
He carried one of the Genin ninjas on his shoulder and held another with his left hand, looking at Giyu with a deep gaze, raising an eyebrow.
"You really haven't learned chakra extraction?"
"I just learned it today." Giyu replied honestly.
"Haven't learned any ninjutsu?"
He asked again, contemplating something.
"I don't want to learn."
Giyu shook his head.
Although he didn't want to learn the Uchiha's techniques, during the battle, he accidentally activated the "Sharingan" and unexpectedly saw the seal of the "Phoenix Fire Technique," as well as the flow of chakra and the points on the body where it circulated clearly...
"Oh."
Uchiha Enka suddenly smirked and nodded, "So you definitely haven't learned how to dispel genjutsu, huh?"
"No..."
Before Giyu could finish his sentence, he saw Uchiha Enka's Sharingan eyes rotate, and his whole body suddenly became motionless, his face turning incredibly pale.
"Giyu!" Sasuke hurriedly approached, "What's wrong with you?!"
No matter how much he shouted, Giyu just stared ahead with an unpleasant expression, tears streaming down his face.
"What did you do?!"
Sasuke turned his head, glaring at Uchiha Enka in anger, "What did you do to Giyu?"
"Demonic Illusion: Hell viewing Technique, a minor D-rank genjutsu that makes him see his greatest fear."
Uchiha Enka replied, "Judging by that expression, I guess he probably saw himself being spanked by the clan head."
"It's just a small thing; there won't be any lasting effects. When Itachi returns, he will naturally help him dispel it."
He extended his foot to trip Sasuke, who was blocking his way, and provocatively said, "Tell Itachi that he's welcome to come and seek revenge for his little brother."
After speaking, he left with his three subordinates, passing through the gap between the rows of Earth Release walls and disappearing into the distance.
In his opinion, using this low-level genjutsu not only didn't cause any substantial harm to the brat but also enraged Uchiha Itachi and provoked him to fight, killing two birds with one stone.
However, after walking about twenty steps, he heard Sasuke's somewhat surprised voice.
"Giyu, are you awake?"
"What a joke?"
Uchiha Enka suddenly turned his head but found that the boy named Giyu was no longer in his original position.
Giyu bent down, picked up the ninja sword that had been thrown on the ground earlier, and turned his head sharply in Uchiha Enka's direction. A pair of slightly unusual crimson Sharingan eyes glared at him with intense fury, as if they were seeing the murderer of their own father.
"Sharingan?"
At that moment, Uchiha Enka understood. Uchiha Giyu's current appearance was still within the genjutsu.
The fearful thing he saw happened to be the very thing he wanted to kill.
"Is he trying to attack me?"
"Water Breathing..."
A blue fluorescent light emanated from Giyu's hand, and suddenly, a huge spray of water burst forth from the nearby artificial lake. The water inside seemed to be summoned, forming a long and twisted vortex until all the water inside was drained.
"Form Ten..."
Giyu's body slightly crouched down, seemingly prepared to launch an attack!
And the swirling vortex seemed to be sculpted and molded by invisible hands, taking on a rough shape.
A fifty-meter-long ice-blue water dragon settled behind Giyu, continuously growing in size!
["Hey, hey, hey, hey, how did this water dragon bomb suddenly appear out of nowhere?"]
Uchiha Enka was drenched in cold sweat, hastily throwing the three "burdens" on his body to the side, his hands swiftly forming seals like a fluttering butterfly.
"Earth Style: Multiple Earth Wall!"
As he finished the seals, dozens of small-scale earth walls that were already present in the area started shifting and stacking on the ground, forming a wide barrier over three meters thick in front of him!
In addition, similar-sized earth walls emerged one after another, rising like arranged bookshelves, completely covering the space between Uchiha Enka and Giyu.
Just as the last large-scale earth wall rose, the water dragon behind Giyu had completely taken shape. Its eyes suddenly gleamed, tilting its head back and letting out a resounding dragon roar that echoed through the sky.
"Constant Flux!"
The first huge earth wall shattered as Giyu made a turn, transforming into thousands of soil blocks!
Unlike the B-rank Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet/Bomb, Tenth Form: Constant Flux, each rotation enhances the next attack, becoming stronger each time!
These earth walls, which should have restrained Water Style, were unable to suppress this blue long dragon that would continue to grow.
In the end, it would bite the body of the person Giyu wanted to kill!
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