Naruto: I, Uchiha, Just Want to Die

Chapter 147: The Curse Seal of Heaven! Sand Burial Cataclysm!

Realizing he had been targeted by outsiders, particularly the veteran spy master of Sunagakure, Ebizō, Aburame Ryōma's heart sank deeply.

Everything now made sense.

The sudden intelligence, the covertly transported supplies, and the seemingly spontaneous Konoha raid against Sunagakure were all part of an elaborate setup.

Through meticulous planning, the enemy had lured Konoha into initiating an attack. Like using liver to bait a turtle, they patiently waited for their prey to bite and fall into the trap.

Now, he was like a fish in a barrel, with no escape.

"It seems... this is the end for me."

Looking up at the rotating swarm of poisonous purple mist encircling his insect tornado, Aburame Ryōma felt his strength drain from his body. He sighed helplessly.

Even though he had unraveled the plot, being caught in the thick of it left him powerless.

No matter how he struggled, as long as he couldn't escape the range of the toxic mist, death was inevitable.

Turning his head with a grim expression, he gazed toward the east.

"Tsk!"

"If this information can't be delivered, the ambush squad is probably in deep trouble as well. I just hope that brat figures it out soon..."

"And then..."

"Run. Just run!"

With another long sigh, he watched as the poisonous mist thinned his insect tornado. Wave after wave of insects fell lifelessly, unable to withstand the encroaching poison.

The mist was about to seep through completely.

Aburame Ryōma closed his eyes and waited silently for death.

However, at that moment—

A clear and loud shout pierced through the toxic fog, the wind, and the swirling tornado!

"Aburame Ryōma, get down!"

The next moment—

Boom!!!

A deafening explosion erupted as a sandstorm swept across the sky, blotting out the sun.

A sudden turn of events had shattered the stalemate!

---

"Those standing at the edge of the purple mist are Sunagakure's Anbu!"

Standing atop Manda's head, Uchiha Shisui analyzed the scene with a serious expression.

"Thirty people—an entire squad from Sunagakure."

"And the one leading them... judging by his appearance and attire, he seems to be Ebizō, the younger brother of Sunagakure Elder Chiyo!"

Hearing this, Inuzuka Akira exclaimed in shock, "What?!"

"Why would the top commander of Sunagakure's frontline appear here?!"

"Woof!" Akimaru let out a startled bark, his body trembling instinctively.

For a moment, all four on the field wore expressions of utter shock.

Ebizō was a figure on the same level as the legendary Sannin—Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade!

Uchiha Ci activated his Sharingan, observing the elite Sunagakure squad near the purple mist. His gaze focused particularly on the old man draped in black robes, a heavy white scarf, and a hood. His hair and beard were entirely white.

A flash of realization crossed Uchiha Ci's mind.

He had long suspected something was amiss.

Now it was clear—this entire ambush was a trap deliberately set by Sunagakure.

Using Fourth Kazekage Rasa as bait, Sunagakure was willing to sacrifice him to gain an advantage on other battlefronts and further deplete Konoha's forces.

To Sunagakure's higher-ups, the life and death of Rasa, who had just become Kazekage, were inconsequential.

There was no doubt—if Sunagakure could betray Pakura, they could just as easily betray Rasa, especially when it suited their plans.

Desperate to prove himself and secure his position as Kazekage, Rasa had no choice but to undertake this dangerous role as bait.

Why would a Kazekage be needed for negotiations or diplomacy?

Sunagakure sought only victory—at any cost.

The real reason for Sunagakure's declaration of war against Konoha and the outbreak of the Third Shinobi World War wasn't the disappearance of the Third Kazekage. Nor was it a genuine intent to invade Konoha, a foe they clearly couldn't defeat.

It was because of the Daimyō.

The newly appointed Daimyō's absurd decision to slash Sunagakure's military funding had driven the village to the brink of madness.

Now facing such desperate and rabid tactics, Uchiha Ci knew—

The only way to counter this was to be even more ruthless. They had to strike at Sunagakure's very core and make them feel excruciating pain to subdue such madness.

Determined, Uchiha Ci drew a kunai from his waist and plunged it deeply into the crevice between Manda's scales, anchoring it into the serpent's flesh. After securing the attached wire, he stood and addressed Uchiha Shinichi, who was controlling Manda:

"Now's the time!"

"Shinichi!"

"You all go down and release the genjutsu!"

Shinichi hesitated, looking up in confusion. "What are you planning to do?!"

Ci didn't answer but met Shinichi's gaze solemnly. "Do you trust me?"

After a long pause, Shinichi gritted his teeth, then turned to the others.

"We're going down!"

Shisui and Inuzuka Akira exchanged glances and nodded. Root Ninja B also followed suit after a glance from Ci.

As they descended, Uchiha Ci stepped to the tip of Manda's nose. Turning around, he activated his Sharingan and waited.

The genjutsu controlling Manda lifted the moment Shinichi and the others landed.

With a roar, Manda's heavy, labored breaths quickened, and the Sharingan patterns in its golden eyes faded, revealing its cold, unfeeling serpent gaze.

"Hiss!!!"

Regaining its consciousness, Manda erupted in rage, its serpentine pupils narrowing into slits.

"Foolish brat! I'll devour you!"

Ci met its gaze calmly, his blood-red Sharingan flaring ominously.

Genjutsu: Sharingan!

In an instant, the massive purple serpent reared up, its colossal body towering like a skyscraper rising from the desert.

Leaping high, Uchiha Ci broke from the serpent's head, and Manda's enormous tail swung horizontally, like a divine whip smashing through two towering sand dunes.

The resulting gale was razor-sharp, lifting Ci's hair and tattered cloak violently.

With his mouth agape, his teeth bared, and his skin stretched back, Ci shot a glance at the sand dunes now erupting into chaos.

Amidst the sandstorm's tumult, he adjusted his position midair, then suddenly released the wire.

Like a cannonball, he hurtled toward the purple mist-covered Sunagakure encampment.

"I'm coming to save you, Aburame Ryōma!"

Caught in the storm, Ci narrowed his eyes, his Sharingan calculating precisely. As the Sunagakure forces below grew from ant-like specs to full-sized figures, a wicked grin spread across his face.

Reaching for his neck with his left hand, he yelled:

"Heaven's Curse Mark!"

In an instant, black patterns resembling tomoe spread across half his body, transforming his refined features into something monstrous.

Gliding through the air, Ci roared into the storm.

Amid the roaring sandstorm and deafening winds, he formed a single tiger seal.

With his sword fingers raised, he aimed downward and shouted once more:

"Aburame Ryōma, get down!"