405. Don’t Underestimate the Disciple of the Darkness of the Shinobi

"Even dealing with a few brats takes you so long. How useless."

The mysterious ninja who had risen from the ground looked at the children before him and spoke with clear dissatisfaction.

Hearing this, the two masked enemies beneath their masks were filled with terror.

They were about to explain when the newly appeared ninja spoke in a voice akin to a demon's:
"If you're this incompetent, then just die together."

With that, the mysterious man gently clenched his hand.

Immediately, under the horrified gazes of his two subordinates, two massive stone arms rose from the ground.

In the same manner as they had crushed Captain Ueda, the arms brutally crushed the two men!!

Two more crimson fireworks erupted...

A flood of blood spread across the ground.

At this moment, the small battlefield had transformed into a living hell.

The thick scent of blood continuously assaulted Uchiha Itachi's senses.

Watching Captain Ueda reduced to a pile of flesh, a surge of hatred and resentment began to grow and swell in his mind.

Although he hadn’t known Ueda for long, the image of the veteran ninja who had dedicated everything to Konoha was deeply etched into Itachi's heart.

Witnessing the death of such a senior figure had indeed caused a massive psychological impact on him.

But the most critical issue was that, judging from how easily this man had just killed several people, his strength was undoubtedly terrifying.

If he couldn’t stop this man, not only would he die, but Kabuto and Chino might also perish here.

This was the cruelty of the battlefield.

It wouldn’t show mercy because of your identity, status, or future.

On the battlefield, there was only one distinction—
The living, or the dead.

"Alright, now it's your turn, brats."

"Are you ready to face death?"

The man raised his hand again, seemingly preparing to kill them in the same manner.

At this moment, Shimura Kabuto, who had rushed back, finally stepped forward.

He adjusted his glasses and sighed,
"Damn it, I wanted to keep my strength hidden, but I’ve been forced to this point."

Kabuto walked out from the woods, having already slipped something into his mouth.

"Leave the rest to me, Itachi. Take Chino and report back to the village."

A cold glint flashed across his glasses, his tone relaxed and casual.

It was as if the enemy before him was destined to fall before his hidden trump card.

Facing Kabuto's command, Uchiha Itachi slowly stood up, a flash of red light briefly appearing in his eyes.

"If you want to play the hero, save it for next time."

"Don’t forget, I’m the genius of the Uchiha clan."

Itachi rarely displayed such pride.

Normally, he kept this arrogance deeply hidden, which was why Chino often called him cocky.

Feeling the boldness radiating from the two, Chino swallowed nervously, clenched her teeth, and said,
"If neither of you is afraid, then I’m not afraid either!"

"At worst..."
"At worst, we’ll just die together!"

Kabuto felt a bit helpless at Itachi and Chino's declarations.

However, the one who felt even more helpless—or rather, furious—was the mysterious man across from them.

He felt as though he was being looked down upon by these brats.

"How dare you underestimate me? Die, you wretched brats!"

With a roar, the mysterious man raised his hands once more.

At the same time, the surrounding rocks rapidly assembled into a massive fist in the air, hurtling toward the children.

Seeing this, Kabuto suddenly murmured,
"Don’t underestimate the disciple of the Darkness of the Shinobi..."

With that, he bit down on the pill hidden in his mouth.

In the next second, a surge of Yang Release chakra and natural energy erupted from every pore of his body.

A vast amount of bluish-green sage chakra enveloped his entire form.

His hair floated wildly in the intense airflow, and even the glasses on his nose were shattered by the powerful energy.

At the same moment, the massive stone fist came crashing down.

A bluish-green flash streaked through the air as Kabuto instantly appeared before the fist, catching the enormous rock with a single hand.

"How is this possible?"

The mysterious man’s eyes widened in shock.

How could a mere child block such a powerful attack?

But what shocked him even more was yet to come.

With a fierce grip, Kabuto shattered the massive stone fist into pieces!!

Now, not only was the mysterious man stunned, but even Itachi and Chino were frozen in place.

They stared at Kabuto, his body radiating bluish-green sage chakra, their faces filled with astonishment.

Had this guy been hiding so much strength all along?

"As the disciple of the Darkness of the Shinobi, it’s only natural to have a few tricks up my sleeve," Kabuto said softly, his bluish-green eyes leaving a deep impression.

However, the mysterious man didn’t retreat in the face of this unexpected display.

Instead, he said calmly,
"Although this is surprising, if you think such a trick can defeat me, you’re being far too naive."

He pressed his hands heavily onto the ground and whispered,
"Earth Style: Ground Collapse!!"

With a terrifying rumble, the ground beneath Kabuto and the others began to crack and collapse, forming a massive circular pit nearly a hundred meters in diameter and ten meters deep.

Kabuto, Itachi, and Chino were now at the very center of this pit.

Not stopping there, the enemy seized the opportunity to unleash a second jutsu.

"Earth Style: Rock Avalanche!"

At the edges of the pit, towering rock walls crumbled, sending a landslide of debris cascading toward them.

After shattering a large boulder, Kabuto hurriedly said,
"Itachi, take Chino and retreat. I’ll hold him off."

With that, he prepared to charge at the enemy, but Itachi grabbed his arm.

"This state of yours... it can’t last, can it?" Itachi stared into Kabuto’s eyes.

He knew that all sudden bursts of power came at a cost. They couldn’t be used recklessly.

Seeing this, Kabuto had no choice but to be honest.

"Right. That’s why I need you to take Chino and leave as quickly as possible."

"Understood."
This time, Itachi didn’t refuse. He agreed.

With Itachi’s confirmation, Kabuto smiled.

"Wait for me to return!"
With that, he plunged into the landslide before him.

Like a bluish-green lightning bolt, he surged upstream at incredible speed, charging straight toward the enemy!!