On the battlefield, water dragons coiled and the flooded domain surged violently.
However, as the newcomer approached, Yagura Karatachi's pupils contracted. That attire, combined with that level of insect-manipulation ninjutsu... it was unmistakable. This was the right-hand man of Konoha's "Darkness of the Shinobi"—
The Vice-Commander of Root: Aburame Ryoma.
Normally, those of "Root" have no name, no emotions, no past, and no future. But just as Kakashi would later prove in the Anbu, if a shinobi possesses distinct traits and overwhelming power, they earn a "name" that their enemies learn to fear, even from the shadows.
Aburame Ryoma was exactly that kind of existence.
He walked forward with an air of absolute indifference, pulling a hand from his pocket and giving a light flick. A massive cloud of Kikaichu bugs detached from the swarm blotting out the sky, descending to encircle Ren Uchiha, shielding him at the center.
Secret Technique: Bug Wall!
The black cloud of insects began to rotate and rise, forming a living barrier of chitin and wings.
This sight left both combatants stunned. The rhythmic clashing of their techniques ground to a halt as they processed the intrusion.
Ren stared at the powerhouse before him—who looked every bit the high-level boss—with a head full of question marks.
He knew the name Ryoma Aburame. He knew the Kikaichu.
But for this man to appear here and use a secret technique to protect him? This was not in Ren's playbook.
When he first saw the man, Ren assumed Danzo had sent an assassin to "clean up" the mess of Orochimaru taking an Uchiha disciple. But this?
While Ren was spiraling, Ryoma raised his head slightly. From behind his dark sunglasses, his gaze locked onto Yagura with a chilling neutrality.
"You are Yagura Karatachi. Captain of the Mist Jonin, Elite Shinobi. Am I correct?"
Yagura was equally lost. He couldn't fathom what had happened to the world. However, facing the inquiry, he straightened his stance on the water's surface. He gripped his hooked staff, pointing it coldly at Ryoma.
"Root is actually protecting an Uchiha?" Yagura's brow furrowed. "That's a rare sight indeed."
Ryoma fell silent for a moment. When he had received the order from Danzo Shimura, he too had felt the sheer absurdity of the situation. But a mission was a mission. He shook his head slowly.
"The world is a strange place," Ryoma replied coldly. "If you want to know why... it is because the boy you are attacking is the disciple of Lord Orochimaru—Vice-Commander of Root, one of the Sannin, and heir to the Fourth Hokage's seat!"
"As of now, he is a member of Root."
Yagura froze, looking at Ren in utter disbelief. He almost suspected his ears were failing him. An Uchiha? As Orochimaru's disciple? In Root? It was beyond logic. But then, a sharp spike of killing intent flared in Yagura's eyes.
Ren Uchiha knew their secret plan. If he was truly a member of Root now, there was no guarantee that the "Darkness of the Shinobi," Danzo Shimura, wouldn't use that intel to sink his claws into the unstable Hidden Mist.
Yagura took a deep breath, tightening his grip on his staff. His gaze turned lethal.
"Thinking of moving?"
Ryoma let out a faint, mocking huff. "You and your subordinates likely escaped through the secret tunnels of the entertainment district. It is only a matter of time before you are found. There are pursuers at your back; every moment you linger here, the danger deepens."
Ryoma pulled both hands from his pockets, spreading his fingers as he stared Yagura down.
"So, do you wish to make enemies of us here? Or will you get lost on your own?"
"Us?" Ren's brow arched at the word.
The next instant, a series of blurred shadows flickered into existence, landing in front of Ren. A dozen shinobi, all wearing intricately patterned masks and standard Root combat gear, stood in a row. Their hands rested on the hilts of their tantōs, staring down Yagura with hollow, emotionless eyes.
The atmosphere turned stagnant. Even Yagura's jaw tightened. A dozen Root ninjas plus an elite Jonin like Ryoma... even with the environmental advantage and Mangetsu's help, a victory would be too loud to hide. The commotion would bring the Mist pursuers down on his head instantly.
Moreover, Yagura had felt a pang of instinctive dread right before Ryoma arrived. A feeling that if the battle continued, he would encounter something truly dangerous—and that danger was radiating from the boy Root was protecting.
Ryoma narrowed his eyes. "You haven't left. Is it because this boy holds information that makes you feel... vulnerable?"
Yagura's face paled.
A shadow of a smile played on Ryoma's lips. "Interesting. Then try it. See if you can kill this boy while I am standing here."
The Kikaichu swarming the sky began to churn. From Ryoma's open palms, more insects poured out, coalescing into three identical Bug Clones. Four Ryomas now stood on the field, each surrounded by twelve spheres of Secret Technique: Insect Globe. The buzzing of millions of wings became a continuous, droning roar. The swarm began to spiral, forming the base of a massive Insect Tornado.
Yagura saw the intent. Ryoma wasn't just fighting; he was intentionally expanding the scale of the battle to attract every pursuer in the city.
Yagura exhaled a heavy, ragged breath. He made his choice.
"Mangetsu! Mei! We're leaving!"
However, while the three Mist ninjas were allies, they were not a strict hierarchy.
Yagura wanted to leave, but Mangetsu Hozuki—seeing his enemy before him—was seeing red. And Mei Terumi, who had been watching Mangetsu's every move, was not about to let him actually kill Ren.
Using the water Yagura had gathered on the rooftops, Mangetsu liquefied, slipping silently past Ryoma's bug wall.
His movement was caught by both Mei and the hyper-vigilant Ren.
In the next heartbeat, three voices roared out simultaneously!
"Hiramekarei: Release!"
"Lava Style: Melting Apparition Jutsu!"
"Fire Style: Chakra Mode—ACTIVATE!"
A massive blade of pure chakra erupted from the ground, stretching eight meters long as it swung down toward Ren's skull. Mei lunged in front of Ren, her hands blurring as she spat a torrent of acidic, steaming lava toward Mangetsu.
Ren didn't hesitate for a single second. He slammed his hand against his chest, igniting the heart of his immortal body!
BOOM! Firelight exploded outward!
Watching the scene unfold, Yagura's scalp tingled. He couldn't shout for a retreat anymore. He stomped the water's surface, sending a massive tidal wave upward as a ten-meter water dragon surged from beneath him, carrying him into the center of the fray.
Ryoma wouldn't let him pass. His four clones leaped high, dissolving into a sky-blotting cloud of Kikaichu that swarmed toward the future Mizukage.
In an instant, all order vanished.
The battlefield had turned into a total, chaotic mess!