Uchiha Ran watched the two of them exchange blows—one attacking, one defending—locked in a perfect stalemate. A faint smile appeared on his face.
As expected, the descriptions of Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi as geniuses were no exaggeration. Ever since Ran transmigrated into this world, the very first morning he came out to train, he had already seen the two of them sparring.
Every movement, every Fire Release technique, every collision of taijutsu had been forged through relentless daily practice. True geniuses didn't rely on talent alone to become strong.
Talent merely allowed them to reach the realm of the strong more easily. But if someone rested on that talent, doing nothing and thinking nothing because of it…
Then they would be no different from a "mediocre prodigy" from another world.
Seeing his shuriken technique broken, Itachi narrowed his eyes. A flash of cold steel followed as he thrust forward with Uchiha-style Kenjutsu.
Shisui's expression remained calm. Watching the blade pierce toward him, he shifted his body slightly, letting the tachi pass by. The flat of the blade was smooth and clean, reflecting Shisui's face like a mirror.
But it wasn't over.
Keeping the blade aimed at Shisui, Itachi suddenly gripped the hilt with both hands and brought it down in a powerful slash. Just as Shisui moved to defend, Itachi abruptly lifted his blade—
Tsubame Gaeshi!
The two swords collided with a sharp clang, sparks bursting outward. For a moment, it was impossible to tell who held the advantage. Their blades locked together, neither retreating even a step as their gazes met.
Ran felt his hands itch.
The corners of his mouth curled upward as he drew the tachi from his waist. With a quick Body Flicker, he leaned forward, sword in his right hand, charging straight toward the two.
While they were still locked in a deadlock, Ran vanished again.
Rising Dragon!
His body spun a full half turn. His right foot slammed into the ground, and his blade swept upward in a fierce arc.
Clang!
A violent shower of sparks exploded where the three tachi collided. Both Itachi's and Shisui's pupils shrank as they were forced backward several steps.
Their eyes locked onto Ran.
He hung briefly in the air, gripping his sword with both hands as he completed a half-moon upward slash, then landed steadily on the ground.
So strong!
Both Shisui and Itachi reached the same conclusion.
To force both of them back at once—right in the middle of their clash—without disrupting his own balance was more than enough to prove the sheer power of Ran's swordsmanship and strength.
"You two know each other's sword styles too well," Ran said calmly. "If you keep sparring like this every day, your progress will be limited. Why don't we train together?"
As he spoke, he flicked his wrist, lifting his right hand so the blade pointed diagonally downward. His left hand slid the scabbard back, and with a sharp motion, the tachi was sheathed with a crisp shat.
Itachi and Shisui exchanged glances.
Shisui nodded. "Alright. Then I'll go first?"
Itachi shook his head. "Shisui, he's my younger brother. This is a matter between brothers—you shouldn't step in yet."
Both of them were clearly interested in Ran's swordsmanship.
Ran let out a cold laugh. "You misunderstood. I meant we train together—me against both of you."
Itachi and Shisui froze.
They looked at each other again. After witnessing Ran's strength yesterday and now seeing his swordsmanship today, neither of them dared to underestimate him.
After all, Uchiha-style Swordsmanship was known as one of Konoha's two greatest sword schools, rivaling Hatake-style Swordsmanship.
With the Uchiha Clan's long history, their swordsmanship had gradually branched into multiple paths.
Itachi practiced the Assassination School of Uchiha-style—every strike aimed to kill, every thrust targeting vital points. It was the most widely practiced style among ninja, after all. In the shinobi world, offense was overwhelming while defense was fragile. A single decisive strike was the ideal.
Shisui, on the other hand, belonged to the Intercept School.
Like cutting a path through mountains or building bridges over rivers, it focused on reacting to the opponent's moves—striking later but arriving first. It was also known as the Gentleman's Blade.
Its essence lay in interception—intercepting the enemy's attack and cutting off their retreat.
Itachi and Shisui were not only geniuses of the clan but also the standard-bearers of these two major branches of Uchiha swordsmanship.
Itachi believed that if Ran challenged only one of them, he might win. But against both at once, defeat seemed inevitable.
Shisui didn't argue. He simply assumed a ready stance and spoke seriously.
"Itachi, don't hold back."
"Don't worry," Itachi nodded. "I'll spar with Ran with the resolve to die."
He drew his tachi.
Ran smirked as he looked at them.
Assassination School? Intercept School?
To him, they were nothing more than incomplete offshoots—extreme paths chosen by later generations who could no longer fully grasp the complete Uchiha-style Swordsmanship.
They had merely extended two directions from the original art.
Itachi moved.
His figure vanished from both Shisui's and Ran's sight.
Ran glanced at the ground three meters ahead and sneered.
"Idiot."
His body blurred, and he appeared exactly where Itachi was hiding.
He raised his foot high and smashed it down.
Boom!
The ground collapsed. Itachi lifted his right arm to block the flying debris, dust and stones scattering everywhere.
At that moment, he understood—he had been found.
Once the Assassination School's hidden strike was exposed, its combat effectiveness plummeted.
Ran drew his tachi and slashed down.
Itachi had no time to react as the blade descended toward him.
His right eye transformed, the Mangekyō Sharingan emerging. A thin trail of blood flowed from the corner of his eye.
"Tsukuyomi!"
The pattern in his Mangekyō spun violently as he locked eyes with Ran.
Finally, Itachi let out a breath and collapsed into the pit.
Although his Tsukuyomi was not as absolute as Shisui's Kotoamatsukami, as a Mangekyō genjutsu, it was still capable of instantly dragging an opponent into illusion.
But in the very next moment, Ran's lips curved upward.
"So this is what being trapped in an illusion feels like?" he said casually. "Doesn't seem all that different."
Ding!
System Notification: Uchiha Madara's left Mangekyō ability greatly enhances Nintaijutsu, increasing all five core attributes by 50%.
The right Mangekyō ability grants complete immunity to all genjutsu and allows instant casting of genjutsu, direct control over a target's body, imprisonment of their consciousness, and the planting of a mental seed. If the target disobeys, the seed can be detonated.
Ding!
Detected: Mangekyō Genjutsu — Tsukuyomi.
Automatically activating right Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan ability: Genjutsu Immunity.
The Tsukuyomi, fueled by Itachi's Yin Release chakra, instantly dissipated into nothingness.
Unaware of this, Itachi lay there, exhausted.
Ran looked down at him with amusement, placed the tachi gently against his neck, and said softly:
"Stupid big brother… you're already dead."