Naruto: My Progress in Konoha.

Standing atop a tree branch, Uchiha Haruki looked at the charred corpse of the squad leader in the distance, then glanced toward Raiga Kurosuki, who was rapidly charging toward him.

Haruki's head throbbed.

"I just finished off Jūzō Biwa and haven't even tied up the loose ends—now another one shows up? Do they really think I'm invincible?"

"Oh, right… I do technically have an 'invincible' state... But damn it, that's not a get-out-of-jail-free card!"

Feeling the ever-present sense of being watched, Haruki's expression twitched.

Finally, he made a firm decision. Forming a hand seal, he dispelled his Shadow Clone Technique.

The last remaining clone that had been entangled with Mist ninja nearby disappeared instantly.

With its dissolution, some of the chakra returned to Haruki's body.

To outsiders, given what he'd been doing just moments ago, this act looked like a desperate attempt to recover chakra.

And that—was exactly the impression Haruki wanted to give.

He gave one final glance to both Raiga Kurosuki and Jūzō Biwa, then activated Body Flicker and fled into the dense forest.

Yes—he ran!

Seeing this, both Raiga and Jūzō were stunned, halting momentarily in disbelief.

But they quickly came to their senses and chased after him together.

In the Forest

Sensing the two pursuers behind him, Haruki let out a faint sigh of relief before accelerating, pretending to desperately escape.

Raiga and Jūzō, unwilling to let him go, also increased their speed and stayed hot on his heels.

Meanwhile, hidden in the shadows, unnoticed by anyone, a swarm of insects began silently following Haruki and his pursuers.

Time ticked by slowly.

Haruki sprinted for five or six kilometers before finally stopping.

He stood on a tree branch, carefully sensing his surroundings.

A few moments later, he opened his eyes and muttered:

"Just as I thought—they're gone."

Over the past few days, though he hadn't managed to catch the spies watching him, he'd deduced the method of surveillance from some clues.

To avoid detection by Byakugan-type reconnaissance, the spies couldn't be hiding within a kilometer.

And from such a long distance, visual surveillance would require either a technique like Hiruzen Sarutobi's Telescope Jutsu or some kind of medium.

And if a medium was involved, then there had to be a range limit. By running five to six kilometers, Haruki had effectively escaped the monitored area.

Now, he was free to act.

He formed the "Ram" (壬) hand seal and activated Shadow Clone Technique once more.

Poof—!

A puff of chakra smoke dispersed.

A clone appeared next to Haruki.

Haruki gave the clone a nod. It immediately began running in the direction he had originally fled.

Haruki, meanwhile, concealed his presence, hiding nearby like a seasoned hunter waiting for prey.

Seconds passed.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed through the forest.

Haruki looked toward the sound.

Two figures came sprinting through the trees.

It was—Raiga Kurosuki and Jūzō Biwa, without a doubt.

Haruki activated his Sharingan to the limit, scanning the area again to ensure no other hidden threats. Once he confirmed the coast was clear, he relaxed.

Just then—the two pursuers drew near.

Without hesitation, Haruki launched his ambush.

At the exact moment he struck, Jūzō Biwa shouted, "Who's there?!"

As he spoke, he swung his Executioner's Blade in a wide arc toward the direction of the incoming attack.

If Haruki continued his charge, he'd be cut in two.

If he backed off, the sneak attack would fail completely.

It had to be said—Jūzō's battle instincts and reflexes were far superior to Raiga's. No wonder he had risen to his position wielding just the Executioner's Blade.

But… none of that mattered.

Jūzō had already begun planning his counterstrike—whether to pursue or defend after forcing Haruki back.

Then something unbelievable happened.

Haruki didn't retreat.

He charged straight into the path of the blade.

The Executioner's Blade sliced clean through Haruki's torso, cutting him in half.

"Wait a minute!"

Suddenly, Jūzō realized something was wrong.

"That felt… empty!"

Jūzō's eyes widened.

The Haruki he had just cut in two vanished into mist—it was an afterimage!

"Then where is the real one?!"

His mind raced as he scanned his surroundings, but before he could locate Haruki—

—a deep, chilling sensation surged up his spine.

Instinctively, he dove forward—

Too late.

Slash—!

The sound of flesh being sliced echoed through the forest.

Haruki's blade severed Jūzō's carotid artery, spraying a torrent of blood across the trees.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye.

Only then did Raiga lock onto Haruki's position and launch his attack.

Crackle—!!

Blinding arcs of lightning flashed.

Two thick bolts of lightning shot from the twin swords in Raiga's hands, crashing directly onto Haruki.

But just like Jūzō's earlier swing—

It hit nothing.

In the next moment, a sharp blade pierced flesh.

Raiga looked down to see a sword tip protruding from his chest.

"Impossible…" he murmured.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Haruki standing right behind him, a streak of blood trailing from beneath his left eye.

What caught Raiga's attention, however, wasn't the blood.

It was Haruki's eye.

That Sharingan… a black sun spinning in the void.

"What… is that?" Raiga muttered in confusion.

He didn't recognize the Mangekyō Sharingan.

But it didn't stop him from attempting one final counterattack.

"Lightning Style: Thunder Burial!"

In the last moment of his life, Raiga poured all his chakra into his twin swords, unleashing a self-destructive technique.

BOOM—!!

A deafening explosion erupted.

Blinding lightning shattered the darkness, illuminating the forest like daylight.

Terrifying currents of electricity burst from the Thunder Swords: Fang, instantly devouring Raiga and expanding outward.

In an instant, the forest within a hundred-meter radius was reduced to scorched earth.

Everything within was obliterated.

A hundred meters away, Haruki suddenly reappeared.

He clutched his left eye in pain, his right eye staring at the smoking crater in the distance.

His expression was far from good.

That final attack—was terrifying.

If not for his ability to use Heavenly Imperial Guard (Amaterasu's Protection) to enter a brief invincible state, he really might have died.

But on the other hand—

If he hadn't had that ability, he wouldn't have dared use such a reckless strategy in the first place.