Chapter 4 Chiba's Strength, Uchiha And Konoha
"Fire Style: Grand Fireball Jutsu!"
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"
As three individuals unleashed their respective ninjutsu, another figure approached from the side, seemingly ready for close-quarters combat.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Drawing upon his own chakra, Chiba amplified the power of the Great Fireball Jutsu to its maximum, causing the sky to be engulfed in crimson flames.
In an instant, he effortlessly countered the three ninjutsu attacks, even when they were combined.
"Perish!"
A silhouette materialized behind him, thrusting a kunai fiercely toward his vest.
"To attempt a sneak attack in front of the Sharingan, you're asking for trouble!"
Chiba swiftly turned around and seized the assailant's wrist with a single hand.
The enemy caught a clear glimpse of Chiba's eyes and was overcome with shock.
"Oh no, it's an illusion!"
Unfazed, Chiba maintained his unwavering gaze as his Mangekyou Sharingan rotated slowly.
"Dare to meet my eyes? It appears you haven't faced off against the Uchiha clan in a long time."
"Sharingan Genjutsu!"
The man's body instantly froze, his mid-punch motion suspended in time.
Chiba delivered a powerful kick, striking his chest.
Boom!
The enemy was sent hurtling through the air, blood and fragments of internal organs accompanying his airborne trajectory.
Upon impact with the ground, the man struggled to rise, but a sudden shortness of breath overcame him. He instinctively touched his chest, his expression contorting in distress.
"No, my lungs have been pierced!"
His body grew weak, drained of strength, and he collapsed to the ground, recognizing that his ninja career had essentially come to an end.
"Hirako!"
Witnessing the scene, the other three combatants seethed with anger.
Simultaneously, a chilling sensation gripped their hearts.
One against four, and Chiba incapacitated a member in an instant.
Recalling the formidable power of his Fire Style jutsu, a sense of foreboding overcame the remaining three.
Chiba's strength differed significantly from the intelligence reports.
They had been deceived!
The trio exchanged bitter glances.
Swish!
Suddenly, Chiba's figure materialized before them.
"He's so fast!"
The three were filled with terror, their complexions shifting drastically.
"Sharingan Genjutsu!"
Chiba observed the trio calmly, his Mangekyou Sharingan revolving slowly.
"This isn't good!"
The three of them felt a surge of panic within, attempting to evade the illusionary assault, but it was too late.
Chiba unleashed a powerful punch, sending one of them hurtling through the air. Simultaneously, he casually hurled a kunai.
Puff!
The kunai impaled the man's abdomen, pinning him to a tree by the roadside.
In the meantime, the other two seized the opportunity to dispel the genjutsu on each other.
However, before they could make their move, Chiba appeared behind them in an instant, unleashing the Grand Fireball Technique, gravely injuring both.
The four jōnin were dispatched with such ease.
Chiba couldn't help but inhale deeply as he watched the four writhing in agony.
I underestimated the power of the Sharingan.
The enhancement in combat prowess, be it through genjutsu or perceptual ability, is astounding.
Approaching the two individuals who were severely injured by the Fire Style technique, Chiba questioned in a deep voice:
"Tell me, who ordered you to assassinate me?"
Despite the prolonged battle, the nearby ANBU hadn't made an appearance. There must be a problem.
And only two individuals could be responsible for this.
The Third Hokage and Danzo Shimura.
"We volunteered!"
"We lost to you because we're weaker. So go ahead and kill us!"
The two gritted their teeth, growling as they suppressed the pain coursing through their bodies.
"Kill you? Then your plan would succeed!"
Chiba sneered.
If he were to eliminate them, he would face consequences from Konoha. This is likely a conspiracy orchestrated by those behind them.
Upon hearing Chiba's decision not to kill them, the two felt immediate relief.
However, the next moment, their relief transformed into agonizing screams.
Ah! Ahh!
The piercing cries resembled those of tormented spirits, sending shivers down one's spine.
"Bastard! You've crippled us!"
"Demon! You're a demon!"
"Kill me!"
Chiba forcefully stomped on their limbs, reducing them to shattered bones.
They were no longer worthy of being called ninja.
The pain inflicted upon them surpassed death itself.
The screams irritated Chiba, prompting him to kick all four unconscious. Yet, he remained at the scene.
The Uchiha clan was not far from here.
The Fire Style jutsu he had unleashed would undoubtedly arouse the vigilance of the Uchiha clan.
Moreover, Chiba believed that those responsible would dispatch reinforcements.
It didn't take long for members of the Uchiha clan to arrive first.
Among them was a captain of the police force, a formidable Elite Jōnin.
Uchiha Tetsuhi.
However, upon witnessing the scene, he couldn't help but feel slightly perplexed.
He recognized all four jōnin, as well as Chiba.
Yet, the circumstances before him left him bewildered.
Could it be that Chiba had defeated all four jōnin?
While instructing his accompanying team to assess the condition of the jōnin, Tetsuhi scrutinized Chiba.
"What's going on here?"
Chiba calmly explained the situation.
"You actually did it?!" Tetsuhi exclaimed, looking at Chiba in disbelief.
After all, Tetsuhi had a good understanding of Chiba's abilities as a skilled chūnin. It was unimaginable that he could seriously injure four jōnin.
Chiba nodded and activated his Sharingan.
"Hiss! Three-tomoe Sharingan!" Tetsuhi gasped, starting to believe Chiba's words, although he sensed the troublesome implications.
Casting a deep gaze at Chiba, Tetsuhi dispatched someone to inform clan patriarch Fugaku about the situation. He was concerned that this incident could ignite a full-blown conflict between Konoha and the Uchiha clan.
Soon, members of the ANBU arrived as well. However, upon learning that Fugaku had been notified by the Uchiha clan, they immediately sent word to inform the Third Hokage.
Uchiha's men kept Chiba under their watch, while ANBU guarded the four injured individuals. Both sides faced each other in silence.
Before long, Fugaku, the Third Hokage, and Danzo arrived successively. They had already been briefed on the details of the incident.
Danzo's face darkened like a stormy sky. He never expected such a certain plan to go awry, resulting in his own operatives being disabled.
The Third Hokage and Danzo were accompanied by a sizable contingent of ANBU, exuding an air of menace. Fugaku was followed by elite members of the police force, and their expressions soured upon seeing the injured quartet.
They hadn't anticipated such an unfortunate turn of events at such a critical juncture.
"Clan leader Fugaku, how dare the Uchiha injure fellow Konoha ninjas? Is Uchiha planning a rebellion?" Shimura Danzo interrogated with a harsh tone as soon as they met.
Fugaku glared at Chiba, refusing to be outdone. He retorted, "I should be the one asking, Danzo-sama and Hokage-sama..."
Chiba and the others were separated by ANBU and police force personnel, making their voices inaudible.
The Uchiha and ANBU members faced off against each other, tensions running high.
After a short while, the ANBU and police force personnel dispersed.
Danzo's face remained grim, while the Third Hokage and Fugaku maintained expressionless composure.
The Third Hokage declared the outcome of the incident. "The four assailants have lost their ninja status, and we will not pursue further actions against them."
"Uchiha Chiba's behavior was overly aggressive. He is prohibited from leaving Konoha for one year and will be placed under the surveillance of Konoha's ANBU. He is strictly forbidden from engaging in fights with others, as severe punishment will be administered if he violates this order."
The Uchiha members grew agitated, expressing their dissatisfaction with the verdict.
Chiba, however, remained calm. Fugaku's compromise wasn't unexpected, but he couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment.
With such audacity, they still dream of leading a Uchiha rebellion. It's nothing but a futile fantasy, Chiba sneered inwardly.
He had completely lost hope for the Uchiha clan.
"As long as others don't provoke me, I won't initiate any conflicts," he thought to himself.
Casting a composed glance at the Third Hokage and Danzo, Chiba turned and departed.
Behind him, the Third Hokage and Danzo wore deeply unsightly expressions.
Fugaku's mouth twitched slightly as he observed their faces, leading them away.