"Is it magnetism?"

After multiple swift movements and evasions, Uchiha Itachi couldn't shake off the persistent shuriken-shaped projectiles that relentlessly followed him. Observing the way the projectiles changed their trajectories in an unnatural manner, Itachi realized the truth. He suddenly threw his small short sword toward Toroi, who stood not far away.

The shuriken followed, as if pulled by the sword.

"I see. So, you can indirectly add magnetism to objects. No wonder... it's quite a troublesome ability," the young man calmly revealed the hidden secret.

"Just troublesome? Uchiha brat, your arrogance is truly irritating!"

Toroi, with his eyes slightly lowered, extended his hand. The small short sword thrown by Itachi flipped in midair, as if it had been tamed, and gently placed its "paw" in Toroi's open palm. Toroi gripped the handle, rather than the sharp blade that could easily cut through a cow's leg bone.

The shuriken, which had been chasing Itachi, parted like a stream of water around Toroi and landed gently by his side.

"If you think my magnet release is just a 'troublesome' ability, then let's see if you have the power to resolve it, Uchiha brat." Enraged, Toroi swung his arm, and the shuriken-shaped projectiles once again shot toward Itachi.

But that wasn't enough for Toroi.

He pulled out a scroll and summoned more than 20 smaller shuriken-shaped projectiles, launching them all at once. These were custom-made for him, not because their shape enhanced his magnet release, but simply because he liked them.

Four large shuriken and more than 20 smaller ones were about the limit of what he could control. In terms of manipulating objects, Cloud Ninja's research on the magnet release bloodline limit still couldn't compare to Sand Ninja's.

Under the Second Kazekage's leadership, magnet release saw rapid development, culminating in the Third Kazekage's mastery of the "Iron Sand Technique." This technique, combining offense and defense, allowed the Third Kazekage to soar through the sky and earned him the title of "Strongest Kazekage." He famously stirred up sandstorms in the desert during the Second Shinobi World War.

The current Fourth Kazekage also relies on his unique "Gold Dust Technique" to stabilize the situation in Sunagakure, which nearly collapsed during the Third Shinobi World War.

In comparison, Toroi's magnet release was far less impressive.

But that didn't mean Toroi was weak. As a well-known expert in Kumogakure, he may have followed a more traditional path, but he had trained his magnet release to this level, launching a ferocious shuriken storm.

Having lost his small short sword, Uchiha Itachi pulled out a kunai.

However, the magnet release allowed Toroi to indirectly magnetize objects upon contact. Once Itachi's kunai touched the shuriken, it became a magnetic source that attracted more shuriken. If Itachi didn't want to be pierced by the relentless projectiles, he would have to discard the kunai.

And so it went, over and over, until Itachi ran out of kunai from his tool pouch. He still had reserves in a scroll, but with the constant chase, there was no chance to pull out the scroll, unlock its seal, and retrieve more weapons—a complicated series of actions under these circumstances.

Yet, even after using up his kunai, Uchiha Itachi remained calm.

While running, he formed hand signs with one hand, and in this waterless environment, he summoned clear, compressed water that spun rapidly, clearly packing a destructive force.

Water Style: Water Fang Bullet

This was the jutsu Itachi unleashed.

In the Uchiha clan, fire-style chakra is a universal trait. Some members also possess a second nature, usually lightning or earth, with wind and water being rare. Uchiha Itachi was one of those rare cases, naturally possessing both fire and water chakra natures, which do not synergize well.

The whirling Water Fang Bullets knocked away many of the shuriken, keeping Itachi from being cornered. Unfortunately, the jutsu lacked the power to destro Toroi's custom-made shuriken, only managing to temporarily divert their trajectory.

As for attacking Toroi directly with the Water Fang Bullet…

It was futile. Toroi was a jonin, not just any ordinary one who climbed the ranks through experience. Besides his magnet release, Toroi had also mastered the Lightning Release Chakra Mode, showcasing agility worthy of a jonin.

Landing a decisive blow with the Water Fang Bullet wouldn't be as easy as it seemed.

In ninja battles, it's rare to see opponents immediately use jutsu. Taijutsu, or hand-to-hand combat, is far more common. This is partly to conserve chakra, but also because attacks can easily miss without first restricting the enemy's movement.

Ninjas are defined by their extreme destructive power and mobility, but their defense is often their weakest point. In simple terms, ninjas are high offense, high speed, low defense, which is why their fighting style tends to focus on taijutsu, with ninjutsu and genjutsu reserved for finishing moves.

"Uchiha brat, all you do is run? Your taijutsu is better than I expected, but all it does is buy you a bit more time."

Toroi kept moving.

Magnetic control had its limits. The farther the objects were from Toroi, the harder they were to control, and the more chakra it consumed. He had to stay mobile, both to keep his tools within range and to evade counterattacks.

"There's a limit to how far you can control your magnetic power, isn't there?"

Uchiha Itachi suddenly spoke.

"You've noticed? So what?" Toroi remained calm.

When Itachi had quickly seen through the indirect transmission of magnetism, Toroi realized the young Uchiha was sharp. He wasn't surprised that the distance limitation had been figured out, but he wasn't worried either. Knowing the secret didn't change the outcome.

"Haven't you noticed yet? Even though you've been looking down this whole time."

Uchiha Itachi sighed, seemingly disappointed.

Toroi frowned, looking down at the rippling water beneath his feet, created by Itachi's Water Fang Bullet. The murky puddle reflected the cloudy sky above and Toroi's own serious face.

Is it a bluff?

Toroi couldn't see anything wrong.

Just then, a small shadow appeared on the water's surface—an indistinct reflection of a crow. Though the image wasn't crystal clear, its outline and its eerie, crimson eyes were unmistakable.

"Damn it!"

Seeing the crow's red eyes, Toroi's heart sank. He instantly realized he had been careless. The puddles formed by Itachi's jutsu had been the real trap all along. After noticing the distance limitation of the magnetism, Itachi had set up this trap, gradually luring Toroi into it, and he had walked right into it without realizing.

It was, indeed, brilliant.

Fury and frustration surged through Toroi, but it was already too late.

Before he was pulled into that inescapable illusion, the only emotion left in his mind was a deep admiration. Even though it was just a kid, the sheer talent completely won him over. There was nothing to be angry about, and nothing to feel unwilling about either. Losing to such a genius didn't feel unfair at all!

In fact, you could even say...

Being a stepping stone for a true genius to rise to fame might be a unique kind of honor.

Magic Art: Dragon Sleep Technique

Through the summoned crows as a medium, Uchiha Itachi connected his gaze to Toroi's through the reflection in the unclear water surface. Silently, he cast the Dragon Sleep Technique, easily capturing Toroi's consciousness and plunging him into a deep slumber. With a splash, Toroi collapsed into the puddle.

The shuriken chasing Uchiha Itachi lost its direction and instantly dropped to the ground.

"Phew! Glad it worked!"

The young boy quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

It was his first time successfully casting an illusion through two layers of mediums. Though he had imagined something like this during training, back then, with just his two-tomoe Sharingan, his eye power wasn't strong enough to pull off such a sophisticated move!

He reached into his ninja pouch, pulled out a shuriken, and threw it.

With his shuriken-throwing skills, which had already peaked during his time at the Ninja Academy, there was no way he would miss. The shuriken struck Toroi in the back of the neck with precision, and blood gushed out. Judging from the depth of the shuriken and the speed and volume of the bleeding, unless Toroi was immortal, there was no way he could survive.

Uchiha Itachi quickly moved forward.

He pulled out a scroll, sealed Toroi's body inside it, and retrieved his small blade from Toroi's hand.

This fierce battle...

had finally come to an end!

The final outcome left many onlookers stunned. The Konoha ninjas, who were about to rush in to rescue their young genius, were both shocked and overjoyed. An 11-year-old Uchiha Itachi had actually killed Toroi, the famous Cloud ninja known for his Magnet Release ability? It felt like a dream!

The Cloud ninjas were just as shocked.

The ones who had blocked the Konoha ninjas from aiding Itachi felt no joy, only indescribable disbelief! Toroi, defeated by a mere child from Konoha? Even if that child was an Uchiha! The worst scenario they had imagined was Toroi failing to capture Itachi and him escaping. That was it!

They never imagined Toroi would lose to a kid!

And so quickly, too.

From the start of the fight to its end, only a little over six minutes had passed.

"Itachi, you..."

Kimimaro's eyebrows lowered slightly.

The feeling of "competitiveness" quietly filled his heart. After spending time with Uchiha Itachi, the arrogance he once felt from being called a genius by Orochimaru had long since faded. Without even realizing it, he had begun to see Uchiha Itachi as his rival!

If he couldn't surpass Itachi, how could he ever hope to defeat Uchiha Shisui or Uchiha Sougen and return to Orochimaru's side?

"I won't lose to you!"

The boy muttered to himself, his emerald eyes burning with determination!

Dead Bone Pulse: Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets

Taking a hit just to create an opening, Kimimaro fired bone bullets from his fingertips, piercing the bodies of the Cloud ninjas, causing small bursts of blood to splatter. The unlucky Cloud ninja fell to the ground, filled with confusion. He hadn't noticed the extra layer of bone beneath Kimimaro's skin where he had slashed him.

That layer of bone had shielded Kimimaro from the full force of the blade, so it only tore his skin without cutting into muscle or blood vessels. His fighting ability wasn't significantly hindered. It wasn't just Uchiha Itachi who was improving; Kimimaro was also growing stronger at an unbelievable pace!

"Damn it!"

C, who had been watching the whole fight, looked pale. Toroi had been a massive disappointment. To think he got killed by some Uchiha brat—it was a complete embarrassment to Cloud Village! Still, in his heart, C now harbored a deep fear of Uchiha Itachi, and a growing desire to capture him.

This kind of genius was invaluable.

If they couldn't capture him, they would have to destro him. Dealing with Uchiha Sougen and Uchiha Shisui was already bad enough. If another one like Itachi rose up, it would be hopeless!

"Squads 6, 9, 11, and 12, prioritize capturing that Uchiha brat. If capture fails, eliminate him," C ordered, sending all the mobile forces at his disposal toward one target—Uchiha Itachi!