[125] Is This Guy Even Human?

Yuhara was never someone who liked being passive. The intel he received this time made him wary—was someone using him? Maybe to oppose Hiruzen Sarutobi, or to eliminate these Root remnants?

But after thinking it over, he felt it unlikely. The intel directly targeted the Uchiha and the Police Force, and it needed Hiruzen's cooperation to be effective. Besides, none of the other ninja clans knew the specifics of his dealings with Hiruzen.

"So, finding out who delivered this intel is critical—I have to get to the bottom of it!"

Whoever delivered it would reveal the true nature of the situation. But before that, Yuhara had business to handle.

The Root remnants' hatred for him was understandable. He'd destroyed their "home" and killed their master.

The fact they hadn't immediately sought revenge probably meant Hiruzen didn't want the situation to escalate.

But now, with this intel in hand, Yuhara wasn't going to sit around. These people were elite assassins—he wouldn't let them live as a threat. If they acted, he'd have full justification to wipe them out. If not, he'd assign surveillance to monitor them closely.

Thankfully, their hatred burst forth—they attacked without hesitation.

"Attacking a clan head and department minister... no one's going to save you now. If this intel is legit, what happens when Hiruzen tries to use you against me—only to find you're all dead?"

A bit reckless, maybe, but Yuhara wasn't about to let potential threats fester.

Blades flashed toward him, but just as they were about to hit, Yuhara moved.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

His movement was so subtle and fast that no one saw how he dodged—but every kunai missed, hitting the tree behind him.

In the next moment, his eyes turned into crimson three-tomoe Sharingan. Chakra surged, and he shot forward.

His blade was already drawn. In a blur, he appeared before the first Root ninja.

Slash!

Two figures crossed. A second later, the Root ninja was sent flying, his throat slashed mid-motion. Blood sprayed across the white snow—macabre and dazzling.

Another ninja attacked, leaping silently, blade raised high.

Yuhara glanced at him—he instantly read the trajectory. With a slight sidestep, he dodged and thrust his blade at a strange angle, piercing the man's chest.

Still, the Root ninjas kept coming, silent, fearless. They didn't care who they lost or that this was the man who brought fear to Root itself.

"These guys really don't fear death," Yuhara muttered. He'd seen Root's ruthless loyalty before, but today's bunch was on another level.

It made him wonder—were these the true elite of Root?

In any group, it wasn't the strongest who mattered most—it was those with unshakable will. They were the ones who passed down ideals to new members.

Back in earlier battles with Root, many members had shown fear. These didn't.

"Maybe Danzo chased power too much and forgot what truly mattered?"

Three Root ninjas leapt from above, blades flashing with killing intent. Yuhara shook his head.

Their weapons struck—but hit only air.

Poof!

Yuhara's body turned into a block of wood—Substitution Jutsu. The three attackers didn't even have time to react before lines of blood opened across their necks. They clutched their throats, but couldn't stop the blood from pouring.

Yuhara didn't even glance their way. He kicked one attacker aside, caught a flying kunai with his left hand, dodged another attacker, and killed him in one fluid motion.

Then he pulled out a paper bomb, stuck it on the kunai, and hurled it back.

Boom!

The explosion sent blood, fire, and smoke flying. Despite being outnumbered, Yuhara remained calm and composed. He dodged every strike as if he could see the future.

His speed made him untouchable. The Root ninjas could only watch as he danced among them, claiming lives like a butterfly flitting through flowers.

"This should be enough."

He'd only used taijutsu so far—testing his physical control. His fight with Kakashi had shown that while his strength had grown, his mastery hadn't kept up.

He'd spent time training, understanding that just having power didn't mean owning it. Like forgotten knowledge from school—unused, it faded.

But now, he was confident. The training had paid off.

And he was done here. His goal was simple: take these guys out before Hiruzen could use them against him.

They attacked first. That meant zero pressure for Yuhara to hold back.

He activated Void Step and instantly left the main battlefield. His eyes spun—the Mangekyō Sharingan appeared.

Blue chakra swirled around him. Moments later, skeletal chakra arms emerged.

He inhaled deeply, and the chakra surged. The skeletal form expanded, forming a towering giant in seconds.

And it didn't stop there. A helmet shaped like a Karasu Tengu's head formed as armor coated the giant.

It stood silently, but its crushing aura filled the forest. The cold around them deepened like they were plunged into an icy abyss.

"Is this guy… even human?"

The sight was all too familiar—and yet worse than before. The hardened Root ninjas felt doubt creeping in.

Still, they didn't hesitate. They charged.

If they didn't act now, they'd never avenge their master.

"Brave... or just stupidly loyal," Yuhara muttered.

He commanded Susanoo, which drew its blade. A green chakra hurricane swirled as the massive sword cleaved down.

The impact tore through the forest, splitting the earth with a massive crack—like the heavens falling and the earth crumbling.

At the forest's edge, several ANBU stared blankly. The scene was familiar—but far more terrifying than the one in their memory.

They trembled. Could they really stand against this kind of power?

"Is this guy really human?"

Back in the Konoha residential district, countless people froze mid-task. The tremors made civilians fear an earthquake—but the ninja turned their eyes to the eastern forest.

This was no earthquake. This was something else—something terrifying.

Inside the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi stopped mid-work and looked out the window. He recognized the chakra immediately. His face darkened.

And from the direction it came...

"No way..."

He murmured and vanished from the room in a flash.

(End of Chapter)

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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to 30+ at patreon.com/Emik01.