The water flowing along the blade began to churn wildly, like a shattered mirror cutting the sunlight into dazzling shards that scattered in every direction.
The bandits at the front saw a flash of white, and everything in their vision began to twist and distort.
Their companions' faces turned monstrous, and the ground beneath their feet heaved like waves.
Qingyu infused the water with Yin Release Chakra, using the glimmering water as a medium to cast an area-wide Genjutsu.
Anyone who saw the sword's gleam would fall into an illusion.
!
Several bandits staggered in a daze. Their axes and blades slipped from their hands, and they stood rooted to the spot.
Qingyu emerged from the shimmering illusion. His blade flashed, and two heads soared through the air.
The strongest bandit, the one they called the boss, had just raised his great axe to strike when Qingyu sidestepped and drove his sword into the man's heart.
As the lightning-wreathed blade pierced his chest, the capable bandit leader's eyes widened. He toppled over without even managing a groan.
[Detected a collectable trait: Bandit King] [E-rank Trait: Bandit King] [Effect: Having killed a nearby bandit leader, your fighting form is more likely to frighten enemies and attract underlings.]
Qingyu cut down the bandit leader with a single strike, and the other bandits trapped by the Genjutsu soon fell beneath his blade as well.
As the illusion gradually faded, the few remaining bandits finally came to their senses. They saw corpses strewn across the ground and the lifeless faces of their companions.
They forgot all about the treasure. Tossing aside their weapons, they tried to flee into the woods.
Yūhi Kurenai was already waiting there.
She formed a Hand Seal with one hand, and the lead bandit's steps abruptly faltered. The fear in his eyes gave way to confusion.
Yūhi Kurenai finished off the helpless bandit with a Shuriken.
Elsewhere, Sarutobi Asuma caught up with a fleeing bandit and stabbed him in the back with a Kunai.
The battle was over, and silence settled over the mountain road.
Fukuda Jun cautiously poked his head out from behind the ox cart. Once he was sure all the bandits were lying in pools of blood, he shakily pulled a handkerchief from his shirt and repeatedly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
"Thank you, honored shinobi. Thank you so much. If it weren't for you, I'm afraid this trip would have..."
"Just be glad you're safe."
Yūhi Shinku walked over from beside the ox cart. He scanned the bodies on the ground to make sure none had escaped, then turned his gaze to Qingyu.
"Qingyu did the most this time."
He looked at Qingyu with undisguised admiration.
Before meeting Qingyu, Yūhi Shinku had assumed his fighting style relied on using the Sharingan to copy other people's techniques, or on unleashing Ninjutsu barrages with the Senju Clan's vast reserves of Chakra.
But he hadn't expected Qingyu to infuse the water with Yin Release Chakra.
That required considerable talent in both Yin Release and Water Release, as well as exceptionally precise Chakra control, to make two different nature transformations coexist stably in the same weapon.
That kind of ingenuity and skill was beyond many Chunin, let alone a Genin.
As Yūhi Shinku pondered this, he suddenly sensed an unusual ripple of Chakra in the air.
Without turning around, he realized there was an enemy behind them.
He simply turned and cast a Genjutsu at the same time.
A bandit who had been hiding nearby had somehow crept behind the group. He formed Hand Seals and unleashed a Genjutsu at Yūhi Shinku.
Just before the Genjutsu's Yin Release Chakra touched Yūhi Shinku, it seemed to strike an invisible mirror and abruptly bounced back.
The hidden bandit groaned and fell flat on his back. His eyes rolled up, foam spilled from his mouth, and he convulsed on the ground.
He had been struck by his own Genjutsu.
Only then did Yūhi Shinku turn around. He glanced down at the unconscious bandit and shook his head.
He said nothing. He simply beckoned the children to keep moving.
Many bandits had once been minor shinobi. They had given up the title of shinobi but could still use Chakra and Ninjutsu.
[Detected a collectable trait: Genjutsu Reflection] [D-rank Trait: Genjutsu Reflection] [Effect: Genjutsu resistance increased by 30%. There is a small chance of reflecting a Genjutsu back at its caster.]
Qingyu looked at the words that had appeared before him, pleased.
No wonder Yūhi Shinku was rumored to be able to reflect Genjutsu in the original story. He really does have some skill.
Fukuda Jun got the ox cart moving again, leaving only a few unburied bodies on the mountain road.
The wind passed through the treetops, carrying away the smell of blood. Everything returned to calm.
For Yūhi Shinku, this C-rank mission had been nothing more than a routine escort. But for Qingyu and his two classmates, it was their first real combat experience.
Sarutobi Asuma wiped the blood off his Kunai. He didn't say anything, but he was still thinking about the Sword of the Thunder God.
The old man's playing favorites. I'm definitely going to confront him when we get back.
Several days later, Qingyu finally returned to Konoha.
After collecting his share of the payment, Qingyu went home.
Tsunade sat with one leg crossed over the other. When she heard a knock at the door, she instinctively glanced outside.
She wanted to see if Shizune had brought back the sake.
"Qingyu, you're back already."
Qingyu changed his shoes and walked into the living room. His gaze fell on Tsunade's crossed leg.
Her pant leg had ridden up to her calf, revealing a stretch of pale ankle. Her foot swayed gently in the air.
"Tsunade, have you washed your feet?"
Tsunade paused, then looked up at Qingyu with an expression that said, Are you tired of living?
"I wash my feet every day. What's that look for?"
She set her magazine aside and wiggled her foot, as if to prove it.
The arch of her foot curved smoothly, and her toes were full and rounded. The dark red nail polish on them was chipped and faded, clearly in need of a touch-up.
Tsunade glanced down and noticed it herself.
She rummaged through the clutter beside the arm of the sofa, found a small bottle of dark red nail polish, and held it out to Qingyu.
"Since you're here, paint my toenails for me."
Qingyu looked at the bottle, then at Tsunade. He remained standing.
"Weren't you just complaining about me? Hurry up. It'll dry soon, and I have something important to talk to you about."
Tsunade shook the bottle.
Qingyu sighed, took the nail polish, and crouched beside the sofa.
Tsunade unabashedly stretched out her leg, resting her soft, full thigh on Qingyu's knee. Her foot was right beside his hand.
Qingyu unscrewed the cap, dipped the little brush in the polish, and began painting Tsunade's toenails.
His hand was surprisingly steady. He didn't get a drop on her skin. He must have developed that steadiness from all his practice with Medical Ninjutsu and swordsmanship.
"So, Tsunade, what was that important thing you wanted to talk about?"
Qingyu asked as he painted.
Whenever he was close to Tsunade, Qingyu could always smell a faint, sweet fragrance.
Up close, he also noticed that Tsunade's skin was exceptionally smooth, without a single blemish.
"Of course, it's Strength of a Hundred. You've already started taking missions ahead of schedule, kid. I think it's time to see if you're ready to learn it."
Tsunade said.
As for Shizune, Tsunade thought she still fell a little short. Her natural talent couldn't compare to Qingyu's.
She would just have to take it slowly.
Before you continue