Chapter 111: The Mysterious Scroll, The Mist’s Sudden Turn of Events!

Chapter 111: The Mysterious Scroll, The Mist's Sudden Turn of Events!

On the battlefield, everyone was stunned, their gazes fixated on the audacious young man who had just spoken such arrogant words.

The most shocked, however, was none other than Aburame Ryoma, the deputy commander of the Root Division.

"Overthrow the Five Great Nations and unify the entire ninja world."

Such a vision reminded the older Aburame Ryoma of a terrifying existence he had long feared.

Although time had passed, and the pages of history had turned, many had forgotten the terror that was that Shura.

But Aburame Ryoma, who had toiled in the shadows of the ninja world, knew all too well what true darkness was.

The same ambition, the similar hairstyle, the unmistakable obsession reflected in the Sharingan—

And…

The same unreasonable, overwhelming power.

Just the budding signs were enough to remind him of another—

The Shura of the Ninja World!

Uchiha Madara!

However, unlike that Shura, this boy did not exude the bone-chilling dread that even flipping through the blood-soaked records of the past would bring.

On the contrary, standing behind this boy gave Ryoma an inexplicable sense of security.

They were Root ninjas, beings willing to abandon everything for the sake of their mission, living in the deepest shadows.

Yet, even in this suffocating darkness, a boy like this stood before them and said,

"I will help you secure a chance to escape."

He even gave them a priceless artifact—the Kusanagi Sword!

At this moment, Aburame Ryoma swallowed hard, his gaze trembling for reasons he couldn't explain.

Gripping the Kusanagi Sword tightly, he trembled all over, his emotions barely contained.

Behind him, the other Root ninjas wore similar expressions, their states mirroring his own.

They had come to save this boy—

But why? Why had the situation flipped?

How could this disciple of the legendary Sannin, a youth with boundless potential, stand so unwaveringly before them, before people like them, drenched in blood, dirty and rotten to their core?

Why did this silhouette seem so warm, like the radiant sun of a spring morning?

Merely standing behind him felt as if their deeply stained souls could be cleansed.

But unlike the Root ninjas, Mei Terumi stood off to the side, gazing at Uchiha Ci with visible worry.

In her heart, she had an ominous feeling,

as if today might be the day she lost him.

At this moment, Uchiha Ci focused his sharp gaze on Yagura while keeping an eye on Hozuki Mangetsu's movements.

He understood that this calamity,

though caused by Yagura, was not entirely his fault.

Yagura bore some responsibility—his hiding in the town of Yunyan had drawn the pursuers.

But the true culprits behind this disaster were the pursuing ninjas and, more importantly, the Third Mizukage who orchestrated them.

The ones who trampled on human lives without care, who truly angered him—

were those people!

And they were his targets.

Uchiha Ci suppressed his fury, restraining his emotions as best he could.

He could barely hold it in anymore!

Everything he had done today—the battles, the massive commotion he caused—

was all to buy time, to draw attention, and to wait for those people to appear!

He still had his ultimate trump card.

Beneath his feet lay a city submerged by floodwaters, a city brimming with the dark emotions of its people—their injustices, their rage, their sorrow, their despair…

Their cries for justice!

All of it would be executed by Uchiha Ci!

The grief of an entire city would transform into terrifying chakra, even the miniature Zero-Tails couldn't bear!

The price of this would be devastating—it would destroy the Zero-Tails and his body.

But in that brief, brilliant moment, he would deliver eternal, unforgettable pain to these perpetrators!

---

After a brief silence, Yagura shook his head, a wary glint rising in his eyes.

These words sounded childish—talk of overthrowing the Five Great Nations resembled a child's boast.

Yet, inexplicably, a faint unease crept up his spine, like an insect crawling across it.

Taking a deep breath, Yagura decided to act decisively. He would eliminate this brat once and for all.

But just as he moved—

A Mist ninja with a Four-Wave forehead protector and azure tied hair rushed forward, casting a startled glance at Uchiha Ci before regaining his composure.

"Lord Yagura!" he called out urgently.

"Hmm?" Yagura paused, recognizing the young man—Ao, one of his subordinates in the elite jonin unit.

Ao was skilled in sensory techniques, nostalgic by nature, and a staunch advocate of asceticism. As a comrade, he was utterly dependable.

"Please look at this!" Ao approached hastily, handing over a scroll with a grave expression.

Yagura frowned. Could this not wait until after dealing with the boy?

Still, his good-natured demeanor kept him from snapping. Rising onto his toes, he took the scroll from Ao's hands and opened it.

At a single glance, Yagura's eyes widened.

"This... How is this possible?!"

He shot a disbelieving look at Ao.

"Ao, are you sure this is real?"

Ao nodded vehemently, his urgency palpable.

"Lord Yagura, what should we do?!"

"We must act immediately! War waits for no one!"

Yagura took a deep breath, his gaze briefly flickering to Uchiha Ci. A struggle played out in his eyes.

If he let this brat live, dealing with him in the future could require an enormous cost.

But the situation at Green Cove Reef…

After a moment's thought, Yagura made his decision. Turning to Mei Terumi and Hozuki Mangetsu, he no longer cared about their allegiances.

"Enough with your recklessness!" he barked.

"This is the last time I'll say this! Now, come with me to the Mist's main island!"

Mei and Mangetsu froze in shock, unable to react immediately.

Before they could, Yagura tossed the scroll to Mangetsu, then stepped in front of Mei. At less than 1.5 meters tall, he resembled a small adult glaring up at her.

Mei blinked, cold sweat dripping down her back.

Her impulsive actions to assist Uchiha Ci could easily be deemed betrayal. However, given Yagura's own tenuous status between loyalty and rebellion, maybe—just maybe—it wasn't a problem…

After glaring at her for a long moment, Yagura sighed, his voice tinged with exasperation.

"Little princess, your love game is over."

"I need you to contact Elder Genshi. Now go and bid farewell to your little boyfriend. The next time you meet, you'll be enemies for real."

---

Meanwhile, Uchiha Ci noticed the sudden shift in their expressions.

"What's going on? What did that scroll say? Do they not want to kill me anymore?

And the pursuers—where are they? After all this time and noise, they should've arrived by now!"

Frowning, Uchiha Ci realized something unexpected had disrupted his plans.

He locked his gaze on the scroll in Hozuki Mangetsu's hands.

Whatever it was, it had thrown everything off course.

---

Behind him, Aburame Ryoma relaxed slightly upon seeing Ao's arrival.

Then, a mischievous smile crept across his face.

Noticing Uchiha Ci's bewildered expression, Ryoma's long-dormant playful side awakened.

Quietly, he moved closer to Uchiha Ci and whispered,

"Junior, curious about what's written on that scroll?"

Startled, Uchiha Ci turned, annoyed.

"How do you walk without making any sound? Of course, I want to know! Who wouldn't? But there's no way you'd know what it says."

Ryoma's smile deepened as he reached into his robes, pulling out an identical scroll and slapping it into Uchiha Ci's hands.

Adjusting his sunglasses, he said smugly,

"Of course I know."

"Why, you ask?"

"Because I'm the one who gave it to them~"