Uchiha Mei noticed that there were no more sounds of fighting coming from Uchiha Haruki's side, and his heart tightened. His grip intensified, causing his opponent to mistakenly believe reinforcements were coming, adopting a desperate stance of trading injuries for injuries.
But after a while, even the sounds from the other side began to fade, and no one came. Both sides grew anxious—one worried about rescuing the disciples on the other battlefield, and the other fretted that reinforcements still hadn't arrived. Maybe they went to the other side first since their numbers were at a disadvantage, but Mei knew he couldn't hold out much longer.
At that moment, Uchiha Mei spoke up, "Your companions should be dead by now. My disciple has already gone to support the other two. Those three have a combination technique—you know that, right? You've been hunting down whoever killed your two squads? Heh, it was my three disciples. I didn't even have to lift a finger."
The opponent got distracted for a moment, revealing an opening. Mei seized the chance, slicing off one of his arms. Even with that, the man didn't give up, desperately fighting back, hoping to stall for more time.
But time isn't something you can hold onto. "Dance of the Crescent Moon" cut through his right hand, then aimed at his neck—a clean slice, severing him in two.
...
On Uchiha Retsu and Uchiha En's side, they had adopted a new fighting style—ninjutsu, shuriken techniques, paired with minor genjutsu disruptions from their Sharingan. It finally gave them some breathing room, though the enemy, despite frequent genjutsu disruptions, still pressed on relentlessly. The two brothers could only dodge continuously, not daring to separate for fear of being picked off one by one. They kept a staggered formation, helping each other when overwhelmed, using combination techniques to counter the enemy's Water Release.
Uchiha Retsu whispered, "I'm running low on chakra... Damn, how does he have so much? He just keeps going."
Uchiha En responded, "It's not just a lot; he's also really precise with his control. And... it's been quiet over at Haruki's side for a while. I'm a bit worried. He's alone after all."
"Yeah... but we don't have time to worry about others right now. They say we're the crazy ones, but I think the real maniac is on the other side. Doesn't he ever get tired?" Retsu replied.
A voice called out, "Done with your whispering? Time to send you to meet your companions." The enemy Jonin seemed ready for one final assault.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" "Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!" "Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!" "Lightning Style: Ground Walk!"
The Great Waterfall came first; the two managed to block it with a combination jutsu, but the delayed Water Dragon Bullet crashed into it, weakening their defense significantly. The Great Waterfall surged through, leaving them scrambling to raise two Earth Walls in desperation. It wasn't enough; the water crashed through, dragging them under. Moments later, the Ground Walk's electric current surged through the water, and their fates were left uncertain.
The Root ninja dispelled his Shadow Clone, panting heavily. He moved forward to finish off the two.
"Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu." Suddenly, the Root ninja crumbled into dirt—an Earth Clone.
"Lightning Style: Lightning Body Flicker!" "Uchiha Swordsmanship: Flash Cut!"The newcomer was Uchiha Mei. His blade slashed across the Root ninja's chest, splattering blood everywhere, as if he might collapse at any moment.
"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Jutsu!" "Water Style—"
Before the jutsu could be completed, someone behind him interrupted, "Water your ass! 'Genjutsu: Naraku Sight!'" The ninjutsu was broken, and the Fire Dragon Technique struck its target.
Uchiha Haruki, his face covered in blood, grinned widely. "Damn, I was so tired, I just took a nap."
...
Uchiha Mei stepped over the traps and arrived at a small pit. He looked at his two disciples lying on the ground, with Uchiha Haruki barely conscious, struggling to stay awake. His heart filled with guilt.
He coughed slightly and said, "I've already sent word to the clan. I also entered the valley and had them spread the message to the surrounding clansmen. If they hear about deaths in the valley, they'll definitely come to check. If they get here before Root does, we have a chance."
That was right—Root's squad had lost contact, so another team would definitely come. And with how things stood now, forget fighting; they might not even stay conscious in the next second.
Uchiha Haruki thought for a moment and asked, "Sensei, what if we go back to the valley? The three of us can get treatment there, and with more people around, it'll be easier to hide. If Root gets here, we won't last fifteen minutes."
"I already have someone waiting outside the trap. You just need to walk up to the top," Uchiha Mei replied.
An old man with a cart, carrying four bodies, wheeled it to a place called the Bright Heart Clinic. He unloaded the four bodies and said, "Alright, take these two to the bedroom. I'll go find the doctor. I'll be playing the old man for a while, so don't leave the house. I'll be right back."
Uchiha Haruki looked around. This place was basically a morgue! There was even a couplet on the wall:
"The living are greedy, the dead are clear-hearted."
After moving his two friends to the bedroom, Uchiha Haruki held his head, leaning against the wall as pain throbbed violently. His nose started bleeding. He reached up to wipe it, but his vision spun, and he collapsed to the floor.
...
"That one inside—he has internal injuries and needs IV treatment. Mild concussion; he should recover after the IV. The one outside also has internal injuries; his right arm, which had been fractured before, is broken again. His left ribs are cracked—an IV alone won't cut it. He needs bone-setting and bed rest.
The one on the floor is the worst—severe concussion with intracranial bleeding, he needs surgery. His eardrums are ruptured; even if he recovers, there might be lasting damage. Chakra overuse caused internal injuries. How well he recovers will depend on the surgery."
"Alright, can you let my daughter go now? I came here, didn't I? I usually need an assistant for surgery, and my daughter is my assistant. Put down the knife, okay? Let's all be civil." A man in a white coat said to Uchiha Mei.
Mei created a Shadow Clone and said, "Your assistant is me. If anything happens to any of them, your whole family dies. I mean it."
Soon, Uchiha En woke up after his IV treatment. After understanding the situation, he gave up his bed to Uchiha Haruki and sat silently on a chair outside the room.
When Uchiha Retsu woke up, he realized his bones were broken—again. He was about to shout but saw Haruki still unconscious. Biting his lip, he climbed off the bed, dragging his IV stand, grabbed a chair, climbed onto the desk, and lay down. He hooked his IV onto the wall lamp and closed his eyes, quickly drifting off to sleep.
After a short while, he felt someone shaking him. He opened his eyes to see a masked man. "Hey, young man, you should go back to the bed."
Uchiha Retsu waved his hand, "No need, let Haruki have it."
"But... this is an operating table."