Kurotsuchi: The Game's Difficulty Is a Bit High

The Anbu base's briefing room was spacious and simple.

A map of the Land of Earth hung on the stone wall. A chakra lamp in the corner cast a steady white light, illuminating the entire room.

Shifeng stood before the map, reporting the details of the mission to Ōnoki.

Yeying leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. He had removed his Owl Mask, revealing a refined but cold face.

Jingxin sat beside the long table, a cup of hot water in front of him.

"Mission complete." Shifeng concluded his report. "All twenty-three bandits were eliminated. Five rogue ninja were confirmed dead, and all seven hostages were rescued. The follow-up unit escorted them back to the village. We suffered no casualties."

"Also, as for the real mission, Blood Gold made the right choice."

Ōnoki nodded, then turned to Jingxin. "Blood Gold, how have you been feeling after these missions over the past few days?"

Jingxin answered honestly. "I'm all right."

Yeying suddenly spoke up. "Are you afraid?"

Jingxin: "?"

Seeing the looks the others were giving him, Jingxin was startled at first, then immediately realized why they had asked.

At that moment, Jingxin felt like he was facing a few babysitters.

They were even offering him counseling~

"Ahem." Jingxin cleared his throat. "I know what I'm doing this for."

Shifeng spoke about his own experience. "The first time I killed someone, I was twelve. I encountered a Kumogakure reconnaissance team during a border patrol mission."

"The other side struck first, so I fought back. My kunai pierced the heart of a young ninja."

"Back then, I stared into his eyes for a long time, until his pupils had fully dilated."

His voice was calm, as if he were telling someone else's story. "Later, I understood."

"I didn't kill him because I hated him, or because I enjoyed killing. I killed him because if I didn't, he would kill my comrades and endanger my village. That's a ninja's logic: simple and cruel."

Yeying joined in as a sort of "political instructor." "The Sharingan lets you see death clearly, so look closely. See how fragile life is, and understand the cost of violence. Then make your choice: when to kill, and when not to. That's what real control means."

Jingxin seemed thoughtful, but showed no sign of inner turmoil.

"Hahaha~" Ōnoki floated in front of him and placed a hand on his head. "It seems we underestimated Blood Gold's resolve. This counseling session never should have been necessary."

Shifeng yawned. "So, is class over?"

"It would be nice if all the village's younger generation were like this," Yeying said with a sigh.

Ōnoki waved a hand. "You two can go rest."

They took their leave.

Jingxin knew the purpose of the talk had been to help him sort through his feelings.

But Jingxin was clearheaded. He knew what path he was on, who his enemies were, and what he needed to do now.

But other people didn't know that!

"Lord Tsuchikage," Jingxin said candidly, "I know my situation, and I know why I kill."

"My mission is to protect Iwagakure and take revenge."

Revenge.

That was a dangerous subject.

Ōnoki cautioned him, "You're a very rational person, but anyone's state of mind can fluctuate when they talk about 'revenge.'"

"What I want you to understand is that until you're absolutely certain you can succeed, don't put yourself in danger lightly."

"You're gifted, and you have the Sharingan. You'll grow powerful in the future. As you get stronger, revenge will happen naturally. Don't rush into it."

A few faces flashed through Jingxin's mind.

Uchiha Itachi.

Uchiha Chusheng.

Old Bastard Shimura.

None of them were easy to deal with. Few people in the entire Ninja World knew these people's cards and true strength. Jingxin was one of them.

Compared with his peers, Jingxin was indeed strong.

But compared with those people, he was still too green.

He wasn't Itachi's younger brother. If he challenged him with a three-tomoe Sharingan, he'd only be treated like some nobody on the roadside.

"Get some rest. The next mission will be more difficult." Ōnoki patted Jingxin on the shoulder.

Jingxin gave a quiet acknowledgment and left the Anbu base.

Night had fallen, and lights glowed along the streets of Iwagakure.

He followed the familiar route toward the training ground.

There were only two years left until the story began. He had to make every second count.

Sure enough, that figure was already there on the training ground.

Kurotsuchi's hands were wrapped in thick layers of rock. Every punch sent the wind howling and landed on a specially made wooden post with a dull thud. Her short hair was damp with sweat, and a few strands clung to her fair cheeks, swaying gently with her movements.

She noticed Jingxin's arrival, stopped, and turned to look at him.

"Mission's over?" she asked, still slightly out of breath from her workout.

"Yeah."

"Go smoothly?"

"Yeah."

"Train with me for a while?"

"Sure."

The two of them moved apart.

Kurotsuchi formed hand seals.

"Earth Release: Earth Rock Spikes!"

Three sharp stone spikes burst from the ground, stabbing toward Jingxin from different angles.

Jingxin activated his Sharingan, easily saw the spikes' trajectories, and dodged.

He charged at Kurotsuchi. He wasn't fast, but his steps were precise.

Kurotsuchi met him head-on, throwing a Rock Fist.

Jingxin ducked under it, his right hand held like a blade as he thrust toward her ribs.

Kurotsuchi blocked with her left hand. Rock collided with flesh with a dull thud.

After that, they used no ninjutsu, only sparred in pure taijutsu.

Ten minutes later, Kurotsuchi stopped, panting.

Sweat had soaked her training clothes completely, the fabric clinging to her skin and revealing every curve of her body.

Her chest rose and fell noticeably, and the lines of her abdominal muscles glistened with sweat.

Jingxin looked away.

"Whew~ That felt great!" Kurotsuchi pulled a towel from her clothes and wiped her face and neck. Then she came over quite naturally and gently wiped Jingxin's forehead, though there wasn't a bead of sweat on it.

Her actions seemed perfectly natural, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.

The towel carried her body heat and a faint scent of sweat. Her fingers occasionally brushed Jingxin's skin.

Jingxin stiffened for a moment.

"I can do it myself."

"Relax. I'm not going to eat you. You're really hard to win over~"

"I told you not to read those ridiculous books."

"But they're so interesting~ It's just that the plot's a bit difficult in real life. According to our story, you should be blushing and acting tsundere by now, with your heart fluttering."

"..."

Seeing the corner of his mouth twitch, Kurotsuchi laughed. "I'm going home to shower. I'm soaked in sweat and stink. You should get some rest too."

She left the training ground, her figure disappearing into the night.

Jingxin watched her go, then sat cross-legged and began practicing Dust Release.

There was no doubt about Dust Release's power. No matter how much effort it took, it was worth it.

During missions, Jingxin gauged their difficulty. If he could return to Iwagakure that same day, he would create a Shadow Clone to refine chakra, though he would only make half as much as on a normal training day.