You're Way Too Fast

"Understood!"

Ye Liangnai and the other two answered in unison, their voices filled with resolve.

"Move out!"

With Tian Jia's command, the group officially embarked on their first mission.

Along the way, he explained the mission to the three of them in detail.

Three rogue ninja had defected because they could no longer endure Kirigakure's oppressive rule. They intended to join Kumogakure.

Therefore, they might very well encounter Cloud Ninja on this mission.

Hearing this, Ye Liangnai and the other two all swallowed hard, their expressions turning even grimmer.

Ye Liangnai could not help grumbling inwardly, We're just newly graduated genin.

Is it really okay to give us such a terrifying S-rank mission?

Isn't this clearly sending us to our deaths?

No matter how strong the three of us genin are, there's no way we can handle a mission like this!

But grumbling was useless. The arrow was already on the string; they had no choice but to fire!

They had no right to refuse at all!

Yugakure!

Inside an inn sat three Mist Ninja—one tall, one short, and one fat.

The short Mist Ninja said excitedly, "We're finally about to escape that hellhole. This is so exciting!"

The fat Mist Ninja frowned at that. "Don't let your guard down. We haven't successfully met up with the Cloud Ninja yet. Before that, anything could still happen!"

The tall Mist Ninja nodded in agreement. "That's right. Not only can't we lower our guard, but we need to stay fully alert and prepare for any pursuers!"

"It's getting late. Let's go! We need to reach the meeting point quickly, before something goes wrong!" the tall Mist Ninja said as he stood.

The three packed their belongings and left the inn.

However, as they reached a certain bridge, danger suddenly struck.

Boom!

A massive burst of flames erupted along with an explosion.

From within the thick smoke came a barrage of kunai and shuriken.

The three hurriedly drew their blades to block, rapidly retreating from the smoke.

But behind them, an Anbu wearing a white mask flashed toward them like a streak of light.

Multi-Hawk Flash!

The Anbu shouted, moving so quickly that there was simply no way to defend against it!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Yet the tall ninja blocked that powerful strike.

"It's that Cold Light brat. Watch out for his Mist Concealment Technique!"

"Tian Jia, come out! I know you're leading the team!"

The tall Mist Ninja, Youkou Mitsuda, stood back-to-back with his two teammates and shouted toward the forest behind Ye Liangnai.

"The bridge has been destroyed. You have nowhere left to run. Surrender obediently and return to face judgment!"

Tian Jia emerged from the forest and said coldly.

"Surrender? Hah, wouldn't that be a dead end?"

"I will never return to that damned place called Kirigakure!" Youkou Mitsuda snarled.

"That's right. Stop dreaming!"

The fat and short Mist Ninja spoke in unison.

The fat Mist Ninja: Nobuyuki Suke!

The short Mist Ninja: Asakura Iori!

"What a pity. It seems you've chosen death!"

Tian Jia's expression immediately turned icy as he said darkly, "Cold Light, Eagle, White Wolf, those three are yours!"

"Either they die, or you die! You should know the price of mission failure!"

That merciless order made Ye Liangnai and the other two shudder inwardly. Then, each rushed toward his own opponent.

Ye Liangnai chose Youkou Mitsuda!

Eagle chose Asakura Iori!

White Wolf chose Nobuyuki Suke!

Clang!

A short blade and a long blade collided, sending sparks flying violently.

Youkou Mitsuda looked at Ye Liangnai and mocked, "You're actually still serving a place like Kirigakure. Don't you think that's pathetic?"

"What could Kirigakure possibly have that you can't let go of, enough to make you so devoted?"

"If you stay there any longer, it'll cost you your life! You don't have to be this stupid!"

Ye Liangnai looked up at him. "You don't understand what I stand for, and I have no interest in understanding what you believe in. Let's settle this with our strength!"

"Only one of us will still be standing today!"

At those words, Youkou Mitsuda exerted force and sent Ye Liangnai flying back.

"What a shame. It's truly a waste of such fine talent!"

Youkou Mitsuda lunged forward and slashed down fiercely. "Then let me see what you can do!"

"You killed a Special Jonin of the Kaguya Clan, so don't disappoint me!"

Ye Liangnai charged forward as well. "Good. That's exactly what I wanted to say!"

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

The two launched into an intense exchange of swordsmanship!

Sparks flashed wildly, the air warped, and the clash was incredibly fierce.

Blood constantly sprayed through the air.

Cold Light can actually keep up with Youkou Mitsuda's speed and fight him to a standstill through agility. His strength has grown again! Tian Jia marveled inwardly as he watched Ye Liangnai's battle with Youkou Mitsuda.

Youkou Mitsuda ranked among the strongest Mist Ninja at the Special Jonin level.

He was far from ordinarily powerful.

Yet Ye Liangnai was not at a disadvantage in the slightest. That was something he could never have accomplished three days ago.

"Very good. As expected of Mei Terumi's younger brother, you really are strong!!"

Youkou Mitsuda suddenly leaped back. As he panted, his hands began forming seals at high speed.

But before he could finish—

Ye Liangnai, who was also panting and had several fresh wounds on his body, spoke as though he did not even need Hand Seals. "Water Release: Water Bullet!"

Two condensed water bullets shot toward him at once, forcing Youkou Mitsuda to retreat.

"How can you be so fast?!"

He was utterly shocked. Looking again, he saw that Ye Liangnai had already finished forming seals and shouted, "Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique!"

Seeing mist spread all around him, he could not help but cry out in alarm.

He knew Ye Liangnai formed Hand Seals quickly, but he had never expected him to be this fast.

It was downright terrifying!

"I won't let you have your way! Water Release: Giant Water Arm Technique!"

He shouted, and a swirling ripple of water suddenly appeared behind Ye Liangnai.

Then, a thick arm burst out of it and smashed Ye Liangnai flying.

"Good, it worked!"

Youkou Mitsuda was overjoyed at the sight, but the smile immediately vanished from his face.

Ye Liangnai had turned into a puddle of water. It was merely a Water Clone; he had not struck the real body at all.

Then, the mist suddenly surged and completely engulfed him.

"Your head, carotid artery, heart, or throat—which one do you choose?"

Ye Liangnai's ethereal voice drifted through the fog so dense that he could not see his hand before his face.

"Stop playing tricks!"

Youkou Mitsuda roared. Ye Liangnai's string of outrageous moves had nearly shattered his composure.