Chapter 54: Silent Killing, Face-Off With A Rogue-Nin
Notes:
A tachi, nearly as popular as the katana, is a traditionally made Japanese sword, used by the samurai class of feudal Japan
At this moment, Uchiha Tonan, carrying Chigo on his back, and Hatake Kakashi were running furiously. If they could continue for another half hour, they would reach a small town at the Land of Fire’s border.
Leaf ninjas were permanently stationed at this junction. While running, Tonan noticed a puddle of water ahead of them. Its chakra was too conspicuous to his eyes. Just when they passed it, a figure jumped out and swung his tachi at Chigo.
Just as that blade was about to strike his neck, Kakashi reacted quickly. He drew out his tanto, blocked the blade, and shouted, “Leave quickly.” He began to fight the attacker.
Although Tonan was aware that a trifling rogue ninja couldn’t kill Chigo even in the wildest imagination, he secretly thought it was a pity. He ran quickly without looking back.
“Tonan, aren’t you worried about your companion?” Chigo, who was still on Tonan’s back, calmly asked. Tonan was silent for a while and replied, “Kakashi is very strong. He’ll definitely beat the enemy.”
Even if Kakashi truly died, Tonan would just make a wooden sculpture of him, and pray daily. Chigo nodded and smiled slightly, “You must be stronger. After all, you’ve awakened the three tomoe Sharingan. In fact, sometimes, you don’t need to hide your inadequacy.”
Tonan’s heart thumped, but he replied without batting an eyelid, “Kakashi is strong.”
Chigo muttered, “In that case, why are you thinking of sticking out for your companion?”
The two people moved forward in this fashion for about ten minutes, and the surrounding mist gradually became denser. Tonan saw the Mist rogue-nin, who was waiting ahead through the eyes of a nearby white pigeon.
At this moment, Tonan had no intention to pretend in front of Chigo. The old monk had already seen through him. Even if he continued the charade, he would only make a joke of himself like a clown. He stopped and placed Chigo on a rock. “Master Chigo, rest here for now.”
Chigo nodded and said with a smile, “You’ve worked hard.”
When Tonan got up, the mist around had already become so dense that it turned milky white. “Silent Killing Technique?” The three tomoe in Tonan’s eyes spun as he looked straight ahead.
“I love killing Uchihas. The three tomoe Sharingan? That’s commendable… but too bad it’s useless against the dense mist… I’ll personally gouge out your eyes and drink your blood.”
In the thickening mist that significantly impaired visual ability, the Mist rogue-nin wanted to break Tonan’s fighting spirit with daunting words. As he continued his claptrap, he didn’t realize that each of his moves was under Tonan’s scrutiny.
He very much resembled a clown.
“Guess where I am.”
Swish
Tonan bent to one side, dodging a blade swung towards him from behind. At the same time, he looked at the rogue Cloud ninja behind, who looked slightly surprised.
“You’re very lucky, you actually dodged it.”
The Mist rogue-nin gave a ruthless smile and disappeared in the dense mist that was equivalent to his perception range. He could observe every enemy move within this mist.
The ambiance was silent, and the damp moisture continuously blew against Tonan’s skin, disturbing his senses. The rogue-nin seemed to have turned into a beast in the dark forest, coldly eyeing its prey.
Such a situation would get the better of ordinary people, as they would rack their brains on where the next sudden attack could come from. It wouldn’t take long for their spirit to collapse. However, for Tonan, who had the Byakugan, all this was ineffective.
He quietly stood in the same place, waiting for the real prey to take the bait. As time passed by, Tonan’s endurance surprised the rogue-nin. He decided to not wait any longer and attack.
The moment he swung his long blade though, Tonan turned around and raised a kunai.
Ding
The kunai easily blocked the tachi. “In front of my eyes, you’ve nowhere to hide.”
The rogue-nin’s eyes shrunk and he distinctly saw a pair of slowly spinning Sharingan amid the dense mist. Since this attack failed, he retreated, and asked with an ugly expression, “How did you predict my attack?”
The Mist rogue-nin noticed the surrounding mist was denser than before. Worse still, his perception ability was abruptly cut off. Just then, Tonan’s indifferent voice resounded in the dense mist.
“Silent Killing Technique.”
At this moment, it was clear who was the hunter and who was the prey.
“Guess where I am.”
A sharp kunai made an arc. The Mist rogue-nin subconsciously dodged, but his arm was still cut.
“That brat actually injured me? How can he use Silent Killing Technique? Is this the Sharingan’s copy ability?”
A sudden realization came to his mind. “No! When I used the technique, that brat didn’t see it. Also, Uchihas don’t have a water-attribute chakra. That means…”
The rogue-nin grinned hideously, and a pallid light flashed through his eyes.
“The Sharingan’s illusion is truly powerful. But it also depends on who’s using it.”
The rogue-nin rapidly circulated the chakra within his body.
“Genjustu, dispel.”
The next moment, the mist’s concentration reduced a little, and his sense of perception resumed. The wound on his arm also disappeared.
“Sure enough! It must’ve happened when I looked at his eyes just now?”
At that moment, Kakashi, who had been fighting against the water clone on the other side, slashed it. The clone immediately turned into water.
Kakashi’s eyes shrunk, and his complexion became ugly. He rushed towards the direction where Tonan had taken off. “You better be fine.”
………
“I was careless just a moment ago and got caught in a genjustu.” The Mist rogue-nin frowned as he sensed the disappearance of his water clone.
“I can’t waste any more time. I must finish this mission now.” Immediately afterward, he used Water Clone Technique.
“You’ve completely pissed me off now.” The Mist rogue-nin emerged from the puddle below Tonan, who looked at it and instantly finished making hand seals. When just half of his head had come out, Tonan’s leg slightly moved.
“Lightning Style – Ground Travel.”
An electric current instantly spread around from the bottom of his feet.
Bang
The rogue-nin’s body turned into a water splash. Tonan smiled, “Water Clone?”
At this moment, the rogue-nin’s real body had quietly appeared behind Chigo, who was chanting scriptures with his eyes closed.
“I’ll take care of you first, then go to kill that brat.”
The blade in his hand slashed Chigo’s neck.
Bang
“What? How can it be a water clone?”
The Mist rogue-nin was confused. He was certain that the old monk had been sitting there from the very beginning. He had sensed it from his perception ability.
“What’s going on here? Where did that old man go?”
