Yakumi’s gaze swept across the room once before locking onto the constant-temperature container at the deepest part of the refrigerated cabinet—within the pale green nutrient solution floated a mass of cellular tissue radiating vigorous vitality.
This was the core objective of their mission: the Hashirama cells live sample.
He carefully removed the container and sealed it into a specially prepared sealing scroll.
Through his fingertips, he could clearly feel the almost violent life Chakra emanating from within the scroll.
With the primary objective secured, he immediately nodded to Yakugo.
Yakugo’s movements were so fast they left only afterimages.
As her fingers flew, she stuffed the Hashirama cell propagation records and years of experimental data from the lab table into the sealing scroll in one go.
Just then, hurried footsteps echoed from the end of the corridor, followed by the sharp interrogation of a Root Ninja: “Where are the guards at the entrance?!
Report the situation immediately!”
“Go!”
Uchiha Yashiro made a split-second decision.
Without the slightest hesitation, he raised his hand and slapped several Explosive Tags onto the laboratory’s load-bearing pillars.
The moment the group turned and rushed out of the lab, the Explosive Tags detonated with a roar.
Rubble collapsed instantly, sealing the passage behind them and cutting off the shouts of the pursuers behind the fallen stones.
No one lingered to fight, and no one grew greedy for more.
Following the retreat route Shin had planned in advance, the group slid through the Root base’s abandoned Ventilation Ducts into the Underground Drainage System.
Using the continuous explosions on the surface to mask their footsteps, they moved through the intricate underground pipe network like schools of fish.
Midway, they encountered two groups of Root Ninjas rushing back to provide backup, but they used the darkness and Sharingan Genjutsu to bypass them silently, leaving not a single trace behind.
In less than fifteen minutes, the group had burst out of the underground network.
Under the cover of the firelight filling the sky and the panicked crowds, they successfully reached the designated rendezvous point.
Uchiha Kai, Tōka, and their group were already waiting there.
Seeing everyone return safely with the intact sealing scrolls, their hearts finally settled.
“Mission accomplished?” Kai asked in a low voice.
Yakumi patted the sealing scroll in his arms, a cold smile flashing in his eyes.
“Core objective obtained, and all the data was brought out as well.
No loose ends.”
“Good.” Kai nodded, looking up at the Uchiha Clan Compound, which was surrounded by barriers and cordons.
He waved his hand.
“Go!
Back to the compound!
It’s time to go home!”
The dozen or so figures didn’t linger for a second, blending into the darkness once more as they sped toward the clan compound.
Behind them, Konoha was still mired in fire and chaos.
No one knew that the Hashirama cells they guarded as treasures, along with the core forbidden techniques from the scroll of seals, had all fallen into the hands of the Uchiha.
Under the cover of the smoke and dust filling the sky, Tōka’s group advanced rapidly along the broken walls and ruins.
The scroll of seals was held firmly against her chest, her footsteps moving so fast in the aftershocks of the explosions that they were mere afterimages.
They were only two streets away from the Uchiha Clan Compound.
As long as they turned the corner of the alley ahead, they would meet up with the backup team.
But the moment Tōka led her people into the alleyway, a cold surge of Chakra suddenly locked onto them.
“Halt.”
From the shadows of the alley, Gekkō Hayate stepped out slowly.
An Anbu cat-face mask covered most of his face, revealing only his pale eye corners.
The tachi in his hand was already unsheathed, its tip pointing diagonally toward the ground.
Behind him followed four Anbu elites, blocking the alley entrance in a pincer formation, their Chakra wound tight.
He had been leading his squad to patrol the explosion damage, but he unexpectedly sensed this sharp Chakra carrying the unique Uchiha signature, as well as the distinct sealing fluctuations of the scroll of seals.
“Uchiha?” Gekkō Hayate lowered his voice, unable to stop himself from coughing twice, yet the hand holding his sword remained steady.
“The scroll of seals from the Hokage Building…
did you steal it?”
The Three-Tomoe in Tōka’s eyes instantly began to spin.
Without a word of nonsense, he simply gestured to the two people beside him.
The next second, the three figures moved simultaneously.
There was no probing, no idle talk; every move was a killing blow.
Tōka’s form instantly split into three afterimages—the Uchiha Style Body Flicker Technique—lunging straight for Gekkō Hayate’s face.
The Sharingan saw the trajectory of the opponent’s tachi with perfect clarity.
Gekkō Hayate had barely executed half of his Leaf-Style: Dance of the Crescent Moon when Tōka accurately predicted the landing point.
A Kunai pierced toward his sword-wielding wrist with a sharp whistle.
The alley was instantly filled with the sounds of sharp Chakra collisions.
The crisp clashing of metal mingled with the roar of explosions, moving so fast the techniques were a blur.
But before the absolute dynamic vision of the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, the Anbu’s movements were as slow as a slow-motion film.
In just thirty seconds, four muffled groans rang out in succession.
The four Anbu elites hadn’t even managed to complete a full technique before their vitals were accurately pierced, and they collapsed into pools of blood.
Gekkō Hayate’s tachi was knocked flying.
A Kunai had carved a gash in his chest deep enough to see the bone.
He staggered back half a step, and just as he was about to weave signs to sound the alarm, Tōka’s figure was already in front of him, his crimson Sharingan locking onto his pupils.
Genjutsu instantly unfolded, and Gekkō Hayate’s body suddenly stiffened.
The next second, a Kunai pierced through his throat.
Warm blood splattered against the cold wall.
He collapsed with his eyes wide open, unable to let out a complete alarm before he died.
Just as Tōka flicked the blood off his Kunai and prepared to continue the retreat, an incredulous cry suddenly came from the alley entrance.
“Hayate?!”
Kurenai Yuhi stood at the entrance of the alley.
Seeing Gekkō Hayate lying in a pool of blood and the Anbu corpses scattered everywhere, the blood in her body turned cold.
She had been nearby evacuating civilians and had only rushed over after sensing the violent Chakra fluctuations here, but she never expected to see such a scene.
Her pupils constricted suddenly, and her hands instantly formed seals as Genjutsu Chakra surged at her fingertips.
But the three Uchiha elites facing her didn’t hesitate for a moment upon seeing her; they attacked simultaneously.
Three figures lunged at once, their crimson Three-Tomoe Sharingan locking onto her in unison as Genjutsu and physical attacks struck together.
Kurenai Yuhi’s greatest strength was Genjutsu, but before three pairs of top-tier Sharingan, her Genjutsu was like a clay ox entering the sea, unable to stir even the slightest ripple.
In just one exchange, she was forced back step by step by Tōka’s Genjutsu.
Her back slammed hard against the wall, and a Kunai was already pressed against her throat, the chill of death instantly enveloping her entire body.
At this critical moment, a dark shadow suddenly slammed in from the side.
Akimichi Choza’s Partial Multi-Size Technique activated instantly, his massive arm smashing toward Tōka and forcing him to withdraw his Kunai to dodge.
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