"Ah-ha! So you're the brat who's been causing trouble!"
The blue-haired young man at the head of the group stepped forward and said.
"Take him out!"
The blue-haired young man waved his hand. The ninjas behind him flung Shuriken and charged, weapons swinging.
Anyone who took another's life would have their own life taken!
Qinglong waved a hand, knocking aside several Shuriken, then snatched the last one and flung it back.
"Whoosh!"
The Shuriken pierced a ninja in an instant, then punched a bowl-sized hole through a large tree.
Anyone who killed would be killed!
The blue-haired young man stared at the terrifying Shuriken in shock, a trace of fear rising in his heart. Who the hell had ever seen a Shuriken thrown with that much force?
"Ah! Ah!"
Several ninjas cried out as Qinglong took them down in an instant. His attacks were so fast that afterimages appeared!
Just then, a rock beside Qinglong moved, and a figure emerged from it, striking at him.
But Qinglong seemed to have spotted him long ago. He kicked the man squarely in the body.
"Thump!"
The figure was sent flying. He turned out to be a burly man wearing a straw hat.
"How did you find me?!"
The burly man got back up and asked, bewildered. He had disguised himself so well that there was no way his opponent should have noticed him.
"It's simple. I can sense you with my Ki. Inanimate objects have no Ki, but living things do!"
Qinglong explained calmly. Whether the other man understood was up to him.
"Hmph!"
The burly man snorted. As expected, he didn't understand, but that wasn't enough to make him back down. He formed Hand Seals with both hands and shouted.
"Creation of All Things, Assimilation Technique!"
He slapped the rock beside him. His body turned the same color as the stone, transforming into a rocky form that was hard all over.
"This time, I'll crush you with my bare hands!"
The burly man roared and threw a punch.
"Big talk!"
Qinglong threw a punch of his own. Their fists slammed together.
"Bam!"
The burly man's entire arm shattered, sending shards of stone flying.
"How is that possible? Your fist is that hard?!"
The burly man couldn't believe it. He staggered backward.
"Then take this! Assimilation: Rock Tank!"
The burly man roared as his body turned into a huge boulder that rolled toward Qinglong at high speed.
"Die!"
The boulder leaped high into the air and came crashing down at Qinglong.
Even then, Qinglong simply threw another punch.
"Bam!"
The entire boulder was knocked into the air and shattered into pieces. The blue-haired young man watching from the side broke into a cold sweat.
"Are you coming out to admit defeat, or not?"
Qinglong said with an amused smile.
"Bastard, I'll never surrender! Assimilation: Falling Rock Snow!"
The shattered stones on the ground suddenly stirred, then rose into the air and shot toward Qinglong.
"Hah!"
Qinglong swung his fists, smashing the stones one after another. The fragments flew together, re-forming into the burly man's figure.
"Heh! So you're a ninja who only knows Taijutsu. What good is being skilled at Taijutsu? I've traveled all over, secretly learning ninjutsu. Let's see if you can withstand this! Assimilation: Sand Binding Prison!"
Though every one of his offensive techniques had failed, the burly man's pride remained undiminished.
His body turned to sand and swept toward Qinglong, a storm of sand and stone enveloping him.
"Assimilation: Sand Burial!"
"Boom!"
The entire sand cocoon exploded, revealing Qinglong standing there completely unharmed.
"Ah! You!"
The burly man was stunned, and only then did a trace of fear creep into his heart.
"How can you be completely unharmed?!"
"Heh! Your knockoff Sand Burial isn't much to write home about. I wonder how Gaara's Sand Burial compares."
Qinglong looked at him calmly.
"What other moves have you got? Go ahead and use them, one by one!"
The terror on the burly man's face grew. He was completely out of tricks, yet he still couldn't do a thing to his opponent.
"If you won't make a move, then it's my turn!"
As soon as Qinglong finished speaking, he blurred past the burly man and kicked the rock behind him.
"Aaagh!"
Another burly figure flew out from the rock, hit the ground, and spat out a mouthful of blood. He couldn't get back up!
Qinglong walked over and shook his head.
"I told you. Hiding is useless against my Ki sense."
"Ah!"
The blue-haired young man shouted, forcing down his fear. With the resolve to die, he drew his long blade and charged at Qinglong.
"Thwack!"
Qinglong punched him. The blue-haired young man spun gracefully through the air, then landed and couldn't get back up. Defeated in one move!
"What happened here?"
The siblings Sagi and Tsurugi arrived with their guards.
"Are you all right, young man?"
"I'm fine."
Qinglong waved a hand.
"These two are connected to the people who tried to assassinate you. Take them back and question them!"
Shizune had finished gathering information and investigating the situation in the Land of Birds. Qinglong returned just then, bringing along people from the Daimyo's Mansion.
"Senior, these two are the children of the former Daimyo of the Land of Birds. Today, I helped them catch several assassins and recommended you to them, so you could thoroughly investigate the attacks on the candidates for Daimyo."
"I'm Shizune of Konoha. It's a pleasure to meet you. Please take good care of me."
Shizune spoke with humility and courtesy, bowing slightly.
"Pleased to meet you!" Sagi and Tsurugi bowed slightly as well.
"I've heard about you from Kiyotaki-kun. On behalf of the former Daimyo of the Land of Birds' children, I'd like to ask you to take on a mission. Would that be all right?"
Sagi then revealed the conspiracy taking place within the Land of Birds.
Shizune gladly accepted the mission. After all, there was a big spender at home!
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