Konoha, deep within the Root base.
In a dim and damp room, the lamplight cast its glow across Shimura Danzō's shadow-laden face.
"Uchiha Shinsuke..."
Danzō murmured the name in a low voice, and a chilling killing intent flickered in his single eye.
The latest intelligence.
Uchiha Shinsuke had successfully been promoted to squadron leader of the Guard.
Promoted to jonin two weeks ago, and now promoted to squadron leader as well.
And he had gained the full support of the Hawks!
"That infuriating Uchiha brat, he cannot be left alive any longer, he must be eliminated as quickly as possible to prevent future trouble!"
Danzō slammed the table with a sudden crash, making no effort whatsoever to conceal his killing intent.
If Uchiha Shinsuke was allowed to fully mature and then take control of the Uchiha Clan, it would be a tremendous threat to Konoha and to his Root!
"Send the order!" Danzō snarled into the shadows, "Mobilize the three elite squads, 'Crow,' 'Weasel,' and 'Serpent,' nine jonin in total!"
From the shadows, a figure appeared without a sound and dropped to one knee.
"The target is Uchiha Shinsuke!"
"This operation is to be carried out at any cost, he must be killed!"
"And bring me his Sharingan!"
"Yes!" The dark figure acknowledged the order and melted back into the darkness without a sound.
Nine jonin, among them top specialists in assassination, tracking, and combined assault, with the three squad leaders being elite-class jonin.
A lineup such as this could hold its own even against a Kage-level warrior!
He refused to believe that one insignificant Uchiha Shinsuke could escape a net so thoroughly cast!
...
On Shinsuke's end, he was on his way back to Konoha from the Cat's Cradle.
He had never signed a summoning contract with a summoning beast, and this trip to the Cat's Cradle was to contract with a ninja cat as his summoning beast.
The ninja cat's combat strength was not particularly great, but in an emergency it could be used to relay critical intelligence, making it the summoning beast most Uchiha clan members chose.
[Ding! Lethal threat warning! The system has detected multiple surges of intense killing intent closing in rapidly!]
[Warning! Warning! Target locked: Host Uchiha Shinsuke! Threat level: Extremely Dangerous!]
Shinsuke, who had been racing along the treetops, stopped immediately and swept his gaze alertly in all directions.
'Could it be that old dog Danzō has sent people to assassinate me again?'
'The lesson from last time still wasn't enough, was it!'
His three-tomoe Sharingan was already active, and its formidable perception spread out in an instant!
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Nine pitch-black figures burst out of the shadows from every direction!
These were the most elite Root ninja under Danzō's command!
Not a single word was wasted, not even a moment of probing!
The instant the nine Root ninja appeared, they launched a thunderously lethal assault!
"Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere!"
"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
"Genjutsu: Dark Crossing Technique!"
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
Their coordination was honed to absolute perfection, clearly the product of countless rounds of drilling!
This sudden and lethal trap was enough to throw any jonin into chaos or kill them in an instant!
However, Shinsuke was no ordinary jonin!
'They really think highly of me!'
Shinsuke showed not the slightest panic, and his right hand instantly reached into his ninja tool pouch and drew out a special talisman!
This was something redeemed from the System Shop, a Concealment Talisman!
Without any hesitation, he channeled chakra directly into it!
Hum!
A strange ripple flashed outward.
In the next instant, Shinsuke's figure and chakra signature vanished completely from the perception of all nine Root ninja!
"What?!"
The lead Root ninja, codenamed "Crow," let out a low cry of startled disbelief.
Every one of their attacks had missed!
And it was in that brief moment of shock!
A cold voice rang out behind the Root ninja on the far left:
"Looking for me?"
The body hair of that Root ninja stood completely on end, and an acute sense of crisis surged up from the depths of his heart!
Without a second thought, he attempted to Body Flicker away!
But it was too late!
Splat!
"Lightning Release: Chidori!"
A full-force strike, and Shinsuke's arm burst clean through his back and out the other side.
"Ugh..."
The Root ninja looked down in disbelief at the arm protruding from his chest, his eyes filled with unwillingness.
The Concealment Talisman's ten-second effect, in combat this intense, was more than enough to turn the tide of battle!
One strike, one kill, one jonin down.
"Enemy attack!"
"Damn it! How did he slip past our perception!"
The remaining eight Root ninja reacted with extraordinary speed, instantly reversing direction as ninjutsu and weapons came pouring down on Shinsuke like a violent storm!
Shinsuke let out a cold snort, lightning crackled and blazed at his feet, and his Lightning Release Chakra Mode erupted at full power!
Clang clang clang!
Sparks flew in all directions!
The kunai in Shinsuke's hand clashed violently against the short blades of several Root ninja, filling the air with the screech of grinding metal!
His three-tomoe Sharingan spun furiously, capturing every movement of his enemies.
The Root ninja codenamed "Weasel" moved with fluid and unpredictable agility, driving a poisoned blade straight at Shinsuke's throat!
Shinsuke's eyes sharpened, and his three-tomoe Sharingan precisely captured the trajectory of the attack!
He then bent his body backward at an unbelievable angle, barely evading the poisoned blade, and at the same moment delivered a Lightning Fire Rasengan squarely into "Weasel's" chest!
Boom!
"Weasel" was struck as if by a battering ram, spewing blood as he was sent flying, and collapsed to the ground critically injured!
In the blink of an eye, two of the nine elite Root jonin had already been taken out of the fight!
"Genjutsu: Naraka Viewing Technique!"
One Root jonin withdrew from the combat circle and cast a genjutsu to disrupt Shinsuke, attempting to create an opening for his teammates to land a critical blow.
Unfortunately, he had severely misjudged Shinsuke's strength.
Shinsuke's spiritual power was far beyond anything this man could shake.
"You are wielding a hatchet before a master!"
Shinsuke let out a cold shout, and the three tomoe in his eyes spun at a furious speed!
A surge of pure genjutsu ocular power rushed back like a crashing tide!
"Genjutsu Reflection!"
"Aaagh!"
The Root ninja who had cast the genjutsu let out a piercing shriek and crumpled to the ground in an instant, overwhelmed by dizziness.
What you do unto others shall be done unto you!
"Time to end this."
Shinsuke's figure surged forward to meet the remaining six Root ninja!
Lightning blazed and fire erupted!
"Lightning Fire Dragon Breath!"
"Lightning Fire Rasengan!"
The savage force of lightning and fire ran rampant through the confined space!
Screams, the crack of shattering weapons, and the wet sounds of torn flesh rang out one after another!
This was a slaughter without any suspense!
There was no need to hold back!
Chakra surged wildly through Shinsuke's body, fueling him as he unleashed devastating ninjutsu again and again!
[Uchiha Shinsuke Status Panel]
[Strength: Peak Jonin (Combat capability at quasi-Kage level).]
[Mastered Skills:
Ninjutsu: Fire Release Ninjutsu (Mastered), Lightning Release: Chidori (Mastered), Lightning Release Chakra Mode (Mastered), Lightning Fire Dragon Breath (S-Rank), Lightning Fire Rasengan (A-Rank Peak).
[Kekkei Genkai: Three-Tomoe Sharingan.]
[Clan Position: Squadron Leader of the Uchiha Guard.]
[Number of Loyal Clan Members: Approximately 160 (core members at 100% loyalty, with portions of the Hawks and neutral factions showing continuously rising loyalty due to Shinsuke's dominant performance).]
[Overall Clan Strength Assessment: Jonin-level force.]