Chapter 41: Raid
The Uchiha clan now found themselves in an increasingly tense and awkward position within the village. Ever since the Nine-Tails' attack, the growing rift between them and the village leadership had become irreparable. Many of the higher-ups in Konoha believed the rebellion was orchestrated by the Uchiha from behind the scenes. After all, the terrifying image of the Nine-Tails under visible control had been seen by many.
As a result, several skilled Uchiha—especially those ranked Jonin or higher—were under constant surveillance. Whenever one left the clan compound, they were often shadowed by members of the Anbu—or worse, by Root operatives.
It was precisely because of this that Ryosuke felt a bit more at ease moving forward with his plan. He didn't think the Uchiha would spare the resources to track someone like him—a mere academy student not even officially a genin.
Still, out of caution, Ryosuke led Souji and Hoshicai in careful hiding, aiming to first assess the strength and number of the Uchiha patrol before acting.
Now, after gathering enough intel, he was ready to strike.
---
"There's no sign of them. Could they have already reached their destination?" one of the Uchiha grumbled, frustration etched in his voice. The three men scouted through the dense forest, but no matter how thorough their search, they found nothing.
Tired from maintaining chakra-enhanced movement for so long, they slowed their pace to a walk, using the moment to recover. It was a methodical habit—preserving strength in case of sudden combat.
"Logically, they should've come through this way," said another with irritation. "You think they took the official road? As ninjas, they wouldn't seriously go the same route civilians use to escape, would they?"
They made little effort to keep their voices down—confidence in their surroundings made them complacent.
"We just combed this area. Not a single trace. It's like they vanished into thin air," muttered the third. "If they were traveling normally, they'd have left something behind. The only explanation is—they didn't pass through here."
"It's unlikely," the leader among them replied calmly. "With the Hyuga's appearance being so distinct, they'd draw attention on the main road. And based on their route through earlier towns, they've been sticking to the wilds. There's no reason they'd suddenly switch to the main path now."
"Besides," he added, "we did find their tracks entering the forest."
"But—"
The ninja didn't even get to finish his sentence.
In an instant, three figures burst out from the trees, launching an ambush from multiple angles.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The sharp whistles of shuriken and kunai cutting through the air tore through the forest's stillness.
"Watch out!" the Jonin among them shouted, reacting instantly. He hurled his own shuriken in an attempt to interrupt the attackers.
But it was already too late.
Ryosuke and his team had prepared this ambush with meticulous care and perfect timing.
They targeted the weakest of the three first—judging from his chakra output and lack of control, he was clearly the least experienced. Souji and Hoshicai closed in from either side, each delivering sharp, precise palm strikes that severed his chakra flow, disabling his ability to counter.
Ryosuke followed up in one fluid motion, his kunai slicing clean across the man's throat.
Blood sprayed into the air, painting the ground crimson. The Uchiha didn't even get a chance to register his attackers' identities before he collapsed.
The Jonin's shuriken arrived a second too late, knocked aside by Souji's quick counter with his own blade.
The remaining Chunin, rattled by the surprise attack, instinctively leapt back and regrouped with the Jonin.
It had taken less than a minute.
Ryosuke and his team immediately pulled back, putting distance between themselves and the two remaining Uchiha. They watched them carefully, calculating their next move.
"Pathetic," the Jonin muttered through clenched teeth, staring down at his fallen comrade's lifeless body. He stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with the surviving Chunin, who looked visibly shaken.
"You good?" Hoshicai asked quietly as they regrouped.
"I'm fine. Let's keep moving," Ryosuke answered coolly, his voice calm and steady.
They didn't waste time. Without giving the Uchiha a moment to recover, they pressed forward according to plan.
Originally, they intended to take out the Chunin next, saving the Jonin for last. But since it was Ryosuke's first time killing someone, Souji had suggested taking a short breather in case the emotional toll affected him.
Ryosuke had agreed.
What surprised him, however, was how easy it felt.
His strike had been clean, efficient. No trembling. No hesitation. The sight of blood didn't make him flinch. There was no wave of guilt, no pang of regret—just a cold, simple fact: the enemy was dead.
If you're going to kill someone, you have to be ready to be killed yourself.
That was the way of the ninja. Ryosuke didn't see it as cruel or evil—it was just necessary.
"You—" the Chunin began to speak, but Ryosuke and his team didn't give him the chance.
The three surged forward once more, pressing the attack.
Knowing the power of the Hyuga's close-range combat, the two Uchiha chose to retreat, aiming to create distance and regroup.
But their morale was shaken.
They had already lost one of their own. Their enemy was no longer some brat from the Academy. The threat was real.
"Sharingan's activated," Hoshicai reported, his Byakugan catching the change in chakra in the two Uchiha instantly. Their chakra had surged, centering in their eyes.
But the Hyuga trio wasn't fazed.
They had prepared for this.
In the worst-case scenario, they expected two Jonin-level opponents. But with one already confirmed as a Chunin—and an inexperienced one at that—they were in a favorable position.
During the ambush, the Chunin had frozen, relying on instincts rather than training. He lacked battlefield awareness, and his fear had slowed him down. Against fighters like Souji and Hoshicai, that was enough of a gap.
"Be careful not to meet their eyes," Ryosuke warned, his gaze sharp. "We don't know what level their Sharingan is yet. That's our only blind spot."
He glanced at his teammates, his voice low but firm.
"The Uchiha are like us—a clan with a powerful bloodline. When they activate their Sharingan, their strength can jump far beyond others at the same level. Stay alert."
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Check my Pâtreon for advanced chapters
Pâtreon .com/Fanficlord03
Change (â) to (a)
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Discord Link Here:
https://discord.gg/VvcakSux