An accident is only an accident because you never see it coming. If you had even a hint of what might happen, it wouldn't really count as an accident, would it?
It's just past eight, creeping toward nine o'clock. April nights still carry a chill that seeps into your skin. The night wind howls through the forest, playing a creepy tune that drowns out the faint, unnatural rustling of trembling branches.
But then—
"Your killing intent's leaking, you know!"
Sogen halts, his gaze locking onto the pitch-black forest to his left.
"Big Bro Sogen?"
Sogen hadn't even noticed when Naruto started calling him that. Sowhere along the line, the kid had smoothly shifted from "Fuji's brother" to "Big Bro Sogen." The change was so slick, so natural, it didn't even register with Sogen or bother him in the slightest.
Naruto stares at the suddenly frozen Sogen, his sapphire-blue eyes blinking with confusion.
"Naruto, you're a ninja academy student now, which ans you're basically a ninja-in-training. From here on out… stay quiet, got it? No matter what you see, don't freak out. If you do get scared, just close your eyes."
"Huh?"
Before Naruto can process, Sogen grabs him, leaps into the air, and bolts toward the village center.
In the next instant—
A storm of shuriken rains down from the forest beside them.
"They're aiming for Naruto too? Is this the work of Root, or…?"
Sogen scoffs, unsheathing the long blade slung at his waist. A dreamy blur of swordlight weaves an impenetrable wall of defense. Sparks fly as tal clashes in midair, every single shuriken knocked away. But the barrage slows his pace. The rustling footsteps in the surrounding forest grow louder, no longer bothering to hide. The encirclent is complete.
"Tch, looks like we're not getting out of this without a fight."
"Awes—"
Naruto starts to yell sothing about how cool that was but catches himself, slapping a hand over his mouth as Sogen's warning sinks in. The kid's got guts, showing no trace of fear. His eyes are practically sparkling as he stares at Sogen's blade. If the situation weren't so dire, he'd probably try to touch it.
"Naruto, no shouting, no moving."
Sogen gives the order, then vaults onto a sturdy branch of a nearby tree. Holding Naruto under one arm and his blade in the other, his crimson eyes—three black tomoe spinning slowly in each—scan the surroundings, tracking every rustle and sway.
He doesn't strike yet.
If he were alone, he'd go all out, no holds barred. But with Naruto—a fragile little tagalong who can't take a hit—he has to play it safe.
Naruto obeys, staying still and silent like a wooden doll. Only his darting eyes betray how hyped up he is. So far, this bloodless skirmish hasn't scared him—it's got him downright thrilled.
But that might change once blood starts spilling.
Sogen abruptly drives his blade into the tree trunk beside him. His right hand dips into the ninja tool pouch at his lower back, pulling out three shuriken. Chakra flows silently into them, activating a power called *Knight Never Dies Unard*. In that mont, the ordinary shuriken gain the properties of a D-rank Noble Phantasm.
"Go!"
He flicks his wrist, launching the shuriken.
The dark forest echoes with faint rustling as the attackers shift positions.
"Bunch of idiots. Underestimating an Uchiha is gonna cost you!"
A malicious grin spreads across Sogen's face.
The three shuriken collide mid-flight in the forest, their sharp clanging ringing through the night wind. Sparks flare and fade as the shuriken veer onto wildly different paths. A split second later, three distinct sounds erupt from the darkness.
The hum of splitting wood.
The dull thud of carving flesh.
The splash of sothing hitting water.
"Huh? Only took out one?"
Sogen narrows his eyes.
These attackers are sharper than he'd expected. As expected of Anbu or Root elites, huh? The Uchiha-style throwing technique isn't so common trick—it's an exclusive art that only works with the Sharingan's precision.
Dodging that move ans they're no pushovers.
"Wind Style: Vacuum Bullet!"
From the darkness, soone unleashes a ninjutsu.
Bullet-like wind blasts fire in rapid succession, a barrage so dense it's like a human machine gun.
Luckily—
Ninjas are basically walking chs. Sogen spots the sudden spike of chakra in the dark. Tucking Naruto under his arm, he yanks his blade from the tree trunk and leaps across the treetops like a cat—swift, silent, and graceful. The ferocious assault tears through several ancient trees but leaves no mark on its intended target.
"Secret Technique: Mind Body Switch!"
One of the attackers is from the Yamanaka clan.
"Moron."
Sogen twists his body, using Naruto—still clamped under his arm—as a at shield to block the incoming ntal energy.
Normal people can't see the spiritual energy released by a Yamanaka's secret technique, but the Uchiha, with their Sharingan, are no strangers to manipulating the mind. Sogen's three-tomoe Sharingan faintly senses the burst of ntal energy.
For a fighter of Sogen's caliber, even the tiniest clue is enough to see the whole picture.
Before "Naruto" can act, Sogen locks eyes with him.
"Genjutsu: Fire of Ignorance."
This is a pupil-based illusion, an Uchiha specialty.
In the illusion, raging flas engulf the target, searing their very soul. The Mind Body Switch breaks instantly. A masked attacker perched on a nearby treetop lets out a piercing scream, the agony of burning alive too much for anyone to bear.
Strictly speaking, pain that strikes the soul directly is even harder to endure than physical tornt.
*Clang!*
A sharp impact from behind makes Sogen's body sway.
An attacker wielding a tanto laced with razor-sharp wind chakra curses inwardly. His wind-enhanced blade could slice through steel. He'd once cut down an Iwagakure ninja, hardened by Earth Style, along with their weapon.
But this ti, he missed.
The massive, bandage-wrapped object—looking like a door panel—is tougher than any steel.
"Uchiha Style: Blazing Leap Slash!"
Sogen spins around, his blade igniting with searing flas.
Innate Skill: Mana Burst (Fla)—as chakra pours into the blade, roaring fire dances wildly. Brandishing the blazing weapon, Sogen swings down with force. The wind-style attacker, clearly trained in taijutsu and kenjutsu to maximize his Wind Style chakra, matches Sogen's speed and blocks the fiery blade.
But—
Fire beats wind.
The wind chakra on the attacker's tanto doesn't cut through Sogen's blade—it fuels the flas. The inferno surges, engulfing the attacker. In just two breaths, the blistering heat claims his life.
It feels like ages, but less than a minute has passed.
In that fleeting minute, with Naruto as a liability, Sogen has killed two and gravely wounded one. That's a dazzling feat, especially against elites—clan ninjas with secret techniques, a rare wind-style blade master…
(Chapter End)
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