BANG!
A thunderous explosion shattered the silence of the sky. An orange pillar of smoke spiraled upward, acting like an arrow piercing through the long, oppressive night. In an instant, the roles of hunter and prey were violently flipped!
Ten miles away... twenty miles... thirty miles...
Almost simultaneously with the first flare, trails of orange light shot into the heavens from multiple directions. Following them would be a streak of light known across the world—the Yellow Flash.
Ren Uchiha gripped the special kunai, taking a deep breath as his eyes fell upon the characters carved into the metal: Blade of Ninja Love. His gaze turned ferocious as he lunged forward, his body a blur of motion.
He understood now. He understood everything!
Tonight's surprise attack was never truly about the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa. After being suppressed and battered for so long, Konoha needed a grand victory just as much as the Sand did. The Sand had used Rasa as bait to lure Konoha out, but Konoha had played along, placing a chip that the Sand's supreme commander couldn't resist: the chance to wipe out Konoha's intelligence hub and kill Ryuma Aburame.
Ebizo had taken the bait. And now, the true goal was revealed—killing Ebizo, the "King of Intelligence" and the brain of the Sand's frontline, would be a far more devastating blow than assassinating a political pawn like Rasa.
The "sacrifice" Ryuma spoke of was no joke. The moment Ren saw Minato Namikaze's Hiraishin kunai, the puzzle pieces fell into place.
But he could not accept it. He refused to accept it!
Orochimaru's calculations were precise. He knew Ren's capabilities combined with Manda would only be enough to throw the Sand's formation into chaos. If not for that unexpected grenade explosion, Ren would have been exhausted and saved by Otsu, while the Surprise Attack Squad charged into the fray.
Before Minato arrived, Ryuma and his men were meant to be nothing more than speedbumps—sacrifices to stall for time.
"OROCHIMARU!!!"
Ren roared, the sound echoing through the desert.
"YOU DESPICABLE BASTARD!"
Ren leaped into the enemy ranks, staying low to the ground. He moved like a swift arrow, kicking up a storm of sand as he slid across the dunes. With a flick of his wrist, he formed the 'Tiger' seal.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"
With his body reinforced by the Cursed Seal, he performed the technique with a single hand. A dozen fireballs, erratic and swift as balsam seeds, shrieked through the air.
The Sand ninjas blocking his path were bewildered.
Why is this kid screaming about Orochimaru while attacking us? Before they could find an answer, they were blasted aside by the explosions. Ren flipped in mid-air, snatching a fallen ninja's sword. His fingers moved in a blur, forming the 'Snake' seal.
"Water Style: Water Fang Blade!"
A swirling current of water instantly coated the steel, shrieking with high-pressure friction. With a spinning toss, Ren hurled the blade, cutting down another foe in his path. As his feet touched the sand, he pivoted and charged again.
As he channeled his chakra, the mutating energy of the Cursed Seal began to erode his body further. His vision shifted, his senses heightening until it felt as if he had a 360-degree infrared sensor installed in his brain.
He could see them clearly now: a squad of Sand ANBU, puppets strapped to their backs, closing in under Ebizo's direction. Their positioning was flawless, designed to corner him into an inevitable dead end.
The Sand ninjas grinned sinisterly.
"Puppet Style: Toxic Mist Breath!"
Ten puppets unhinged their jaws, spewing a thick, emerald-green fog. Ren's Sharingan twitched; the range was too wide to dodge. He held his breath, preparing a Wind Style blast, but the Sand ninjas were one step ahead. Their puppets clicked, revealing ballista-like giant bolts.
They intended to skewer him right through his own defense.
Suddenly, a tall figure clad in an Uchiha flak jacket leaped into the center of the storm.
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Loud Singing Technique!"
Four fire dragons lunged from the cardinal directions, their aim absolute. They blasted the Sand ANBU back, carving a bloody opening in the line.
"Ren!"
Shinichi Uchiha stood back-to-back with him, his three-tomoe Sharingan spinning with lethal intent.
"Do whatever you have to do! I'll handle things here!"
Ren gritted his teeth. The opportunity was here. He sprinted toward the rear, his eyes locked on Ebizo.
Watching the orange smoke in the sky, Ebizo sighed. He was a man of logic; the mission had failed, and it was time to retreat. If it were only Ryuma, he might have lingered to finish the kill, but this "Ren" kid was a variable he didn't want to gamble on. He had seen the reports—the boy was a tireless, indestructible freak.
Ebizo gave Ren a dismissive, cold smirk.
"Child, stop struggling. I know everything about you. You cannot stop me."
He waved his hand, and a swarm of Sand ninjas rushed forward to form a human wall. Meanwhile, the old man himself did something unexpected.
He took a runner's stance and turned to flee.
Ren's pupils shrunk in disbelief. He screamed as he charged.
"ARE YOU SERIOUS? YOU'RE ACTUALLY RUNNING?!"
"You coward! You old dog! Kill me before you go!"
In front of him, three Sand ninjas unfurled massive, inscribed bandages.