Now's the moment!
Uchiha Kagami burst from the forest where he'd been hiding.
To him, this was the perfect opportunity.
He drew shuriken, throwing them all at once, sealing off Kazuku's retreat routes.
"Here he comes!"
Hiruzen tensed instantly.
Uchiha Kagami's Sharingan was the core of their strategy.
If he could cast genjutsu on Kazuku, even for two or three seconds, it'd be enough to grab the bells.
Danzo.
Homura.
Torifu.
Koharu.
All held their breath, fixated on Uchiha Kagami.
No doubt, in this moment, Kagami was their team's hope!
"If it's Kagami, he can handle Kazuku!"
Torifu clenched his fists, mentally cheering Kagami on.
Through Hiruzen's fight with Kazuku…
They saw it clearly.
Kazuku was strong!
Incredibly strong!
So strong that even Hiruzen's terrifying Five Release: Great Linked Bullet Technique couldn't defeat him!
That vivid Wood Dragon Technique…
Left a massive shock in their hearts!
Even without facing Kazuku, their insides trembled!
Hard to believe their opponent was just a seven-year-old kid!
"Kazuku's strength is at least jonin-level…" Homura stared at Kazuku, thinking.
They'd thought combining forces, no matter how genius Kazuku was, he wasn't invincible.
But…
They underestimated his age.
He was a monster!
A terrifyingly powerful monster!
Kazuku's display even left Danzo with deep psychological scars, slowing his movements.
If this were a battlefield slaughter, not a bell-snatching exercise…
Kazuku's strength would plunge them into despair.
"This is with Lord Tobirama banning Kazuku's Eight Gates and Shadow Clone…"
Danzo swallowed, unable to imagine.
What if Tobirama hadn't restricted Kazuku?
As everyone's thoughts swirled…
Uchiha Kagami locked onto Kazuku with his Sharingan, face serious, gaze sharp.
He knew clearly.
This chance…
Was once-in-a-lifetime.
"Kazuku, you're strong."
"But you have a weakness, and that's the Uchiha clan's genjutsu!"
Kagami roared, his Sharingan spinning!
Kazuku instinctively met Kagami's gaze.
Their eyes locked.
Kagami unleashed, without holding back, the most serious…
Most powerful…
Most terrifying super genjutsu he could muster at this stage!
Fully exploiting his Sharingan's potential!
Though Kazuku was only seven…
Kagami dared not be careless!
In fact…
In Kagami's eyes…
Kazuku wasn't a kid!
What kind of seven-year-old…
Calmly sealed Silver Horn?
Rubbed a tailed-beast Gold Horn into the ground?
Effortlessly blocked Hiruzen's Five Release: Great Linked Bullet?
Was that what a normal seven-year-old could do?
No way!
"If I treated Kazuku like an ordinary seven-year-old, I wouldn't know how I died."
"No doubt, Kazuku's strength is formidable!"
Kagami's mindset shifted rapidly.
He was charging at Kazuku.
He was casting genjutsu.
But…
As he closed in, he felt unprecedented pressure!
Even facing Gold and Silver Horn couldn't compare to Kazuku now!
Kagami even sensed something eerie.
He clearly saw Kazuku return his gaze.
Yet Kazuku showed no tension.
Instead, his lips curved into a smile.
Could this Kazuku be a clone?
The thought flashed in Kagami's mind, making him hesitate.
But he quickly dismissed it.
Lord Tobirama banned Kazuku's Shadow Clone Technique.
And Water Clones only had a tenth of the original's chakra.
Meaning, a Water Clone's physical form couldn't fool his Sharingan or Hiruzen's sensing.
"Did Kazuku predict I'd predict his prediction?"
"Thinking I'd assume it's a clone and not cast genjutsu?"
Even Kagami was stunned by how much he overthought facing Kazuku!
Indeed…
Kazuku…
Was unfathomable!
Inhale…
Exhale…
Kagami took a deep breath, shaking off the chaotic thoughts.
At this point, he had no retreat.
Genjutsu…
Activate!
Kagami's pupils constricted, releasing the Sharingan's genjutsu.
Kazuku didn't dodge, meeting Kagami's gaze, taking the genjutsu head-on.
His eyes dulled, losing their spark, standing blankly.
Kagami landed on the wood dragon's nose.
The atmosphere…
Tensed instantly.
"Did… it work?"
Hiruzen and the others' eyes widened, staring at Kazuku and Kagami.
Though this was their safest strategy…
Reaching this point, they felt incredulous.
Kazuku…
Fell to genjutsu!
"It worked."
Kagami panted heavily, never dreaming facing Kazuku would bring such pressure.
He was drenched in sweat, back soaked.
Fearing Kazuku might break the genjutsu, Kagami rushed forward, reaching for the bells.
Everyone's nerves tightened.
Especially Kagami's.
Even now, he couldn't believe it was real.
Jingle.
Kagami's fingers touched the bell, its sound the sweetest in the world.
Next second!
The jingle stopped. The bell Kagami grabbed turned to wood.
The transformation spread across Kazuku's body.
By the time Kagami reacted, the wooden Kazuku bound his arm, trapping him.
"This is…"
Kagami's eyes widened.
"Wood Clone."
The real Kazuku leaped from under the wood dragon, clenching his fist, channeling vast chakra.
"Your strategy was brilliantly designed."
"But sadly, your Sharingan didn't see I predicted your prediction of my prediction's prediction!"
With that…
Kazuku's Sakura Rush struck Uchiha Kagami.
Terrifying force erupted.
Instantly blasting Kagami away!
An instant knockout!
(End of Chapter)