Boom!
Outside a town somewhere in the Land of Earth, Lin Cheng and Kimimaro had just been about to enter when a sudden attack forced them back out.
As the two dodged, three young men with strange face paint came sprinting out of the town and fled.
By sheer coincidence, as one of them passed Lin Cheng, he dropped a scroll at Lin Cheng's feet.
Whether he hadn't noticed or simply couldn't spare the time, the three of them kept running without slowing down.
"Ahahaha! Hahaha! As expected, explosions are art! My art scared those three off!"
Just as Lin Cheng picked up the scroll, which didn't look dangerous, and examined it with a puzzled expression, an arrogant voice rang out.
Then a yellow-haired brat with a ponytail, who looked younger than ten, came into view.
"Hm? You two just dodged my attack, didn't you? Are you ninja?"
The yellow-haired brat glanced at them, froze for a moment, then looked down at them haughtily and asked in a condescending tone.
"What's it to you?"
Having more or less guessed who the brat in front of him was, Lin Cheng raised an eyebrow and replied disdainfully.
"What's it to me? Hmph! This is the Land of Earth! Since you aren't wearing the Land of Earth's Forehead Protector, I have every reason to suspect you're spies!
"So, what'll it be? Do I have to capture you, or will you come quietly with me to Iwagakure?"
"You think you can?"
"Looking down on me, brat? Looks like I'll have to show you my art! C—uh!"
Before Deidara could finish making his Clay Bomb, Lin Cheng, already on guard, used the Body Flicker Technique to appear right in front of him.
He raised his left knee and slammed it into Deidara's stomach.
Then he gave him a thorough beating!
Right after that, Lin Cheng took Kimimaro by the hand and made a quick getaway under the murderous glares of the Iwa ninja who'd rushed over.
There was no other choice. If he actually killed Deidara now, the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, would probably come after him in person!
So, after just a moment's thought, Lin Cheng decided to beat Deidara up and then flee.
But Iwagakure's pettiness—or perhaps its solidarity—far exceeded Lin Cheng's expectations!
In the days that followed, Lin Cheng and Kimimaro were relentlessly pursued by wave after wave of Iwagakure ninja!
After dealing with their pursuers yet again, Lin Cheng shook his head.
He decided to take Kimimaro and leave the Land of Earth.
But Lin Cheng had clearly made things out to be far too simple.
He hadn't even had time to breathe a sigh of relief after leaving the Land of Earth when the pursuers who appeared on their heels made his face burn with anger.
"Who are you people?"
Lin Cheng's eyebrow twitched furiously. He felt an urge to swear.
"Us? We're bounty hunters, of course! Scared, brat?
"Too bad. Even if you are scared, it won't change the fact that you two brats are about to be killed!
"Exactly! Get them! Whoever takes down those two brats gets the biggest cut of the bounty! Charge!"
A group of warriors of wildly varying abilities charged straight at Lin Cheng and Kimimaro, who were surrounded in the middle.
Seeing that some of the old warriors had lost even their teeth, Lin Cheng's temples bulged as he flew into a rage.
"Little Kimimaro! Remember, just cripple them all! Don't kill them!"
"Mm. Got it, Big Brother Lin Cheng!"
Kimimaro nodded obediently, and he and Lin Cheng attacked at the same time.
"Single Leaf Welcome Blade Slash! Hey, brat! Die!"
"Welcome your octopus! Get lost!!"
"Argh!!"
"Ah!"
"Oh!"
After a while, amid a chorus of groans, Lin Cheng and Kimimaro regrouped.
Clap! Clap!
Lin Cheng brushed the dust from his hands, the corners of his mouth lifting.
"Little Kimimaro! Let's go!"
"Mm. Got it, Big Brother Lin Cheng!"
Before you continue