Still Too Young!

What an incredible kid. He'd thrown those three kunai without me noticing, and the power of those Exploding Tags... the tactical arrangement behind them...

This kid was probably a tactical-type ninja! And judging from how he'd blocked both my punch and that Iwa ninja's punch just now, his taijutsu was exceptional!

The force behind it wasn't inferior to mine when I was activated!

This strike... had to...

"Crackle..."

A series of thoughts flashed through his mind. Maki suddenly opened his eyes, and two arcs of lightning streaked over his raised, clenched fist as he viciously smashed it toward the head of the half-crouching boy before him.

"Whoosh!"

Amid the raging wind and beside the darkness, his fist tore through the violent air currents with a fleeting flash of lightning, carving a blue-white arc across the thick branch like a bolt of thunder.

The next second, Maki's eyes widened slightly, a trace of surprise passing through them.

Reflected in his eyes was a footprint deeply embedded in the thick branch.

Body Flicker Technique?

Had he already noticed?

Slowly adjusting his stance, Maki cast a slight glance behind him. There was no disappointment on his face over the failed sneak attack, no panic at missing his enemy after an attack failed, nor any surprise at a punch he had thought certain to land coming up empty. Instead, his face was utterly calm—so calm that not a single expression could be seen, making it impossible to read any of his thoughts.

And there was no attack from behind either...

This kid reacted quickly and had sharp senses. He was very likely a sensory-type ninja... Could he be going after Dodai and the others?

No! This kid was fast, but it was unlikely that he would chase Dodai, since I'm still here. Judging from