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The moment he started running—
Ken drew out the reserve chakra stored in the system. Power flooded every inch of his body.
The Root ninja chasing them was at least chunin level, possibly higher. Neither he nor Itachi could win head-on. Their only option was to rely on the explosive strength of his Sage Body, escape first, then find help.
Ken moved like a cheetah through the forest, darting between trees so quickly that even the Root ninja struggled to keep up.
"How is this brat so fast? Damn it!" the man cursed under his breath.
He was the squad leader, skilled in Earth Release, but speed was not his strength.
At this rate…
The Uchiha kid would make it back to the village.
"Earth Release: Iron Needle Technique!"
Forming hand seals, he spat out dozens of tiny rocks, which instantly sharpened into needle-like projectiles that rained down toward Ken.
A sharp whistling sound tore through the air behind him.
Ken frowned, tapped a branch with his toe, and launched himself high into the air while forming seals.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A massive blaze burst from his mouth.
His fireball was enormous—over three meters in diameter. Compared to Itachi's one-meter version, it was on a completely different level.
The two jutsu collided—
The stone needles melted instantly under the roaring flames.
Sparks exploded everywhere.
"What terrifying chakra reserves…" the squad leader muttered, shocked—but his hands never stopped moving.
"Earth Release: Earth Spear Spikes!"
Sharp stone spikes erupted from beneath Ken's feet.
If he reacted even a moment too late, his legs would be skewered.
"Body Flicker Technique!"
Though only a D-rank jutsu, Ken had mastered it to perfection.
He wasn't on the level of Shisui, the famed "Body Flicker Shisui," but he was already extremely proficient.
His figure vanished like a ghost.
And reappeared—
Right beside the squad leader.
Leaping into the air, Ken drove a punch straight at his chest.
"You dare fight me in taijutsu?" the man sneered coldly. "I'm a jonin. And you're just a six-year-old brat."
Reckless.
He threw a punch as well.
The two fists collided.
Ken was forced back half a meter. A burning pain shot through the bones in his right hand. His Sage Body was only at Level 1—it improved his physique, but not enough to dominate in raw strength.
After that brief clash, he confirmed it.
The opponent was a jonin.
Even with three bloodline abilities, Ken was still just six years old. He hadn't fully grown yet. In a direct fight, he was at a disadvantage.
Winning would be difficult.
Not impossible—but difficult.
And if he revealed Wood Release…
Then this would become a fight to the death.
If the enemy escaped and reported it to Root, what awaited Ken would be far worse than death.
He steadied his breathing.
Then—
His hands blurred through seals again.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A massive fireball roared toward the enemy.
"My chakra nature is Earth. Fire Release is useless against me," the man mocked.
Ken's voice followed immediately after—
"Wind Release: Gale!"
A violent gust erupted.
Fire met wind.
The flames exploded in size instantly.
A colossal inferno surged forward like a roaring dragon, driven by a raging storm.
"He knows Wind Release too?!" the man's expression changed completely. Shock finally hit him.
He hurriedly formed seals for a defensive jutsu.
At the same time, a thought rose in his mind—
This Uchiha prodigy must be eliminated for Root.
"Earth Release: Earth Wall!"
He slammed his hand onto the ground.
A thick stone wall, over three meters tall, shot up instantly.
But the combined force of Fire and Wind was overwhelming.
The flames crashed into the wall—
And shattered it.
"So strong?!" he thought, startled, as he leapt away to dodge.
But the moment he moved out of the attack range—
He realized Ken was already behind him.
"Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes!"
Ken's eyes turned crimson.
A single tomoe spun into existence.
This was a high-level Uchiha genjutsu—one of Itachi's signature techniques in the original story.
Now, Ken had mastered it.
The squad leader's body froze.
For a brief instant, his consciousness sank into a pitch-black world.
"Release!"
In less than a second, he broke free.
Ken couldn't match masters like Fugaku or Shisui in genjutsu—but it was enough to disrupt his opponent.
And that one second—
Was all he needed.
"Wood Release: Strangling Growth."
Dozens of trees burst from the ground like spring bamboo, twisting like serpents as they coiled toward the enemy.
"Wood Release?!"
At last—
True terror flooded the man's heart.
Wood Release… the First Hokage's ultimate bloodline.
Why would an Uchiha child possess it?!
"Run!"
All his earlier composure vanished. He only wanted to escape and report this to Danzo.
But it was too late.
Wood had already wrapped around his right leg.
"Get off me!"
He slashed with a kunai, cutting through the branches—but more surged forward immediately.
In moments, his entire body was bound tight.
"My chakra… it's draining?!"
He could feel it being devoured.
Meanwhile—
Ken felt chakra pouring into his own body, endlessly replenishing him.
So Wood Release really could absorb chakra.
"Wood Release: Impalement!"
A sharp wooden spike grew from Ken's palm and pierced straight into the man's body.
Another set of hand seals—
Dozens of spikes erupted from within him.
"AAAH!"
His scream tore through the forest as blood poured out, soaking him completely.
Ken had wanted to ask why they attacked him and Itachi.
But Root ninjas had cursed tongues. Even if he asked, he wouldn't get answers.
Better to end it quickly.
The man collapsed, lifeless.
Without hesitation, Ken formed seals again and unleashed flames, burning the corpse to ash.
The Yamanaka clan could extract intelligence from bodies.
Destroying it ensured no secrets would leak.
He also cleaned up the battlefield, erasing any traces of Wood Release.
"Haah…"
Only after everything was done did he finally exhale heavily.
The intense fight had drained him completely. He felt like he hadn't slept for days.
Honestly, he'd been lucky.
First, the enemy underestimated him because of his age.
Second, he had three bloodline abilities as hidden trump cards.
Third, he had recently learned new jutsu—
Especially that genjutsu, Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes.
Without it disrupting the enemy, even Wood Release might not have been enough to restrain a jonin.
Jonin were just too strong.
For Ken as he was now, fighting one head-on was still extremely difficult.
But if word got out—
That a six-year-old had killed a jonin—
It would shake all five great villages.
Absolutely monstrous talent.
This life-and-death battle had also given him invaluable experience.
After all—
He had just fought a jonin to the death.
Suddenly—
A figure dropped heavily in front of him.
"Ken! As long as I'm here, no one will harm you today!"
Fugaku had finally arrived.
Killing intent surged from him, his Sharingan blazing red, his hatred for Root unmistakable.
Seeing him, Ken finally relaxed a little and said calmly,
"Clan Head… is it possible the Root ninja has already been killed by me?"
"…What?"
Fugaku staggered, staring at Ken in disbelief.
The shock in his heart surged like a tidal wave.
This child—
Killed a Root ninja?
"....."