Naruto: I, Uchiha, Just Want to Die

Chapter 74: New Path for Power-Enhanced Brick-Flying Sword Technique, Sharingan · Replication!

Uchiha Ci planted his feet firmly, twisted his step, and brought down the Water Blade.

With a single strike of the Uchiha Style · Instant Slash, three long whips were instantly severed.

Next, he bent down into a low stance and flicked his wrist, launching a Water Fang Blade.

The three pursuing shinobi hadn't expected Uchiha Ci to actually throw the Water Fang Blade he was holding.

A plain kunai instantly transformed into an enchanted weapon.

Seeing the screeching water blade wrapped around it, they didn't dare to block with ordinary kunai, instead scattering like startled birds to avoid it.

Upon seeing this, Uchiha Ci's eyes lit up as though he'd opened a door to a whole new world.

This Power-Enhanced Brick-Flying Sword Technique, combined with the ability to form blades at will through ninjutsu, truly excelled.

Quickly, he drew another kunai, formed seals, and created another Water Fang Blade before taking off after them.

The three pursuers couldn't help but curse furiously.

This kid either uses shuriken techniques or, even when he finally uses ninjutsu, it ends up looking just like a shuriken technique!

"Come on, let's clash, damn it! You're hardly even a ninja at this point!"

As they ran, they began forming hand seals, preparing to launch a major attack against Uchiha Ci.

However, to their surprise, Uchiha Ci, who should have been behind them, had already appeared in front of them.

He stood atop a splash of water, leaning back with his hands gripping a dark, taut thread, sliding over the water's surface like an arrow.

Water Style · Water Glide Technique!

This Water Style technique concentrates water flow at the feet, enabling rapid gliding. It works even on dry ground for swift movement.

After Mei Terumi altered the terrain to a water-based battlefield, it further amplified his mobility.

Landing before the three, Uchiha Ci kicked out a water blade, spun in midair, and drew his Water Fang Blade.

Utilizing a taijutsu kick technique he'd copied from Kakuzu, and with a water blade imbued with Water Style · Water Fang Blade and Sword Technique · Chakra Infusion, he sliced swiftly through the three, drawing a circular slash.

As the strike fell, a radiant blue crescent rose!

Two of them were taken down on the spot.

The remaining one narrowly dodged, his face darkening as he quickly formed hand seals to execute a jutsu.

But Uchiha Ci glared fiercely, focusing his Sharingan.

The two tomoe spun rapidly, locking onto the opponent's seals and the flow of chakra within his body.

Mirroring his movements, he began forming the same hand seals:

Snake - Ram - Horse - Rabbit - Ram - Horse - Rabbit!

Even faster than his opponent!

"Damn you, brat! Die!" The pursuer roared angrily, raising his hand.

"Water Style · Water Prison--"

Yet, a voice boomed out even faster:

"Water Style · Water Prison Technique!"

With a swift motion, Uchiha Ci raised his hand, casting the Water Prison Technique half a second ahead of the arrogant pursuer,

creating a water-filled sphere that instantly expanded from his palm, trapping his opponent inside.

Gurgle gurgle gurgle.

The pursuer's eyes widened in shock as he sputtered, frantically struggling with both hands and feet.

"Why the hell can a Uchiha use Water Style better than we of the Hidden Mist?!

Where's your Fire Style? Did you eat your Fire Style or something?"

Relieved, Uchiha Ci wiped the sweat from his brow, his heart pounding as he hurriedly drove his Water Fang Blade through the water prison for a final blow.

If this idiot hadn't wasted a moment on trash talk, Uchiha Ci's two-tomoe Sharingan wouldn't have copied the jutsu faster than him.

"That almost scared me to death, thought I was done for."

Luckily, I was one step ahead!

In this Cutting Rain Water Style environment, all non-Water Style techniques are weakened, and using Earth Style · Earth Spear repeatedly would have drained my chakra too quickly.

Thus, he was forced to rely on Water Style and taijutsu to maneuver against them.

But with his heart's unexpected advancement, not only had he regained his body's water affinity, he'd also gained deeper insight into Water Style manipulation.

A pleasant surprise.

Now, only one pursuer remained, the one maintaining the secret technique.

He could only hear chaotic sounds of battle and shouting from outside, which then abruptly fell silent.

The unsettling silence filled him with dread, cold sweat streaming down as he prayed his comrades would hold out.

But then, the white mist dispersed.

A young man covered in "tomato sauce" emerged, swinging his blade to create a stunning, crystalline arc of water.

"You—you!" The last pursuer's muscles tensed, sweat instantly breaking out across his back.

Face pale with fear under his mask, he stopped maintaining the Water Style · Cutting Rain technique and began retreating step by step.

Uchiha Ci didn't say a word to him, instead turning and retreating into the mist.

The soft patter of footsteps echoed around the remaining pursuer, pressing down on him mentally, as if some beast lay hidden within the fog, waiting to devour him.

Terrified, he glanced around, and suddenly shouted:

"Help me!"

Just then, a water blade shot out of the mist.

On the other side of the battlefield,

a sweat-drenched Mei Terumi was continuously forming seals, launching ninjutsu to prevent Hozuki Mangetsu from approaching.

Her specialty was heavy firepower ninja tactics, boasting an enormous chakra reserve, her ninjutsu unleashed like a machine gun—

Water Style, Lava Style flying out, while her Boil Style shrouded her in the mist in close quarters.

Whether or not it worked, the first priority was overwhelming firepower; before she ran out of chakra, it would surely buy her some time.

But the sounds of battle in the mist and the sudden halt of the Cutting Rain technique caused both of them to glance up in surprise.

That was five pursuing shinobi!

Five of them, even if they were trash, should at least hold out for more than a few minutes before being defeated, right?

How long had it been?

One minute? Or two?

Hozuki Mangetsu frowned, diving into the water and disappearing instantly.

Whoosh!

Uchiha Ci seized an opening and hurled his Water Blade.

He had just retrieved his ninja blade from another pursuer's neck, pulling the attached thread to drag the blade across the water,

hoping to finish this side quickly so he could assist Mei Terumi.

However, at that moment—

Bang!

A piercing gunshot rang out, shattering the air.

A water bullet fired at high speed shot toward him, hitting the Water Blade he had thrown,

accurately striking the kunai within and knocking it aside.

Then, a white-haired figure suddenly leapt from the water, thrusting a blade at Uchiha Ci's back.

Facing a deadly threat, Uchiha Ci felt his scalp prickle.

Instinctively, he executed a technique he'd only seen in videos in his previous life—the Overhead and Shoulder-Wrapping Blade Technique, blocking the strike from behind.

Clang!

Sparks flew.

"This kid's reflexes are actually that fast?"

Hozuki Mangetsu raised an eyebrow, though he didn't think much of it. He immediately used the Great Water Arm Technique, increasing his strength as he pressed the blade forward.

With that split-second buffer, however,

Uchiha Ci activated Earth Style · Earth Spear, hardening the spot on his back where the blade was about to pierce.

Without the weakening effect of the Cutting Rain technique, the strength of this hardening technique was off the charts!

Clang!

Hozuki Mangetsu felt as if he were stabbing into a diamond harder than before;

his blade snapped with a loud crack.

Taking advantage of this, Uchiha Ci delivered a decisive slash to the pursuer before him.

Only then did he turn back, smirking coldly at the stunned Hozuki Mangetsu, who was staring at his broken blade.

"So you're the so-called Prodigy of the Hidden Mist, huh? What's wrong, didn't eat breakfast?"