Night City

Hozuki Castle is an isolated island located off the coast of the Land of Grass.

Although this city is nominally under the jurisdiction of Kusagakure, it is actually a ninja prison jointly funded by the Five Great Nations and specifically established to imprison S-rank missing-nin and ninjas who have committed serious crimes from various villages.

Because the lords of Hozuki Castle have inherited Sealing Jutsu famous as "Fire Release: Heavenly Prison" for generations—

A top-tier binding technique that forcibly locks the flow of Chakra within the recipient, preventing them from gathering Chakra to unleash any Ninjutsu.

So even though the prisons were mostly filled with vicious criminals who had wreaked havoc across the Ninja World, the city's order was still able to be maintained for a long time.

That was certainly true here at least three years ago...

"Help me! Someone, someone please help me!!"

"I don't want to die! I don't want to die!!!"

In the central square of Hozuki Castle, the surrounding prisoners watched in horror as the man, surrounded by walls and iron bars, desperately cried out for help to them, but none of them dared to approach him.

The man was covered in burns, and his entire left arm looked as if it had been cleanly sliced off at the shoulder joint by a sharp weapon. Liquid mixed with dark red blood was still oozing from the cut, staining the ground a small, shocking dark patch.

Just as he reluctantly opened his mouth, wanting to continue pleading, a furious shout exploded from the still scorching air in front of him!

"Shut up, you piece of trash!!"

The man shuddered, feeling the terrifying heat suddenly rising from directly in front of him, and trembled as he turned his head.

His vision was blurred by blood and sweat; he could only vaguely see a murky, fiery crimson mass rapidly approaching him!

"Lava Release: Lava Giant Fist!!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a giant fist formed from scorching magma burst forth, instantly piercing through the man's still slightly trembling torso.

Before the man could even let out a scream, the scorching lava flow had already melted him into a charred mess.

But the crimson lava fist did not stop there. After piercing through the man, it continued to rush towards the crowd of onlookers behind it, still carrying a suffocating heat wave!

The prisoners behind them had instinctively scattered to the side the moment they realized something was wrong, their faces showing no sign of relief at surviving a close call.

They stared intently at the boy in the center of the square, still in a punching stance, his face contorted in a ferocious expression, their eyes filled with deep apprehension and fear.

The boy had short, dark brown hair that stood on end, and his skin was a healthy wheat color.

He looked no more than twelve or thirteen years old, but his physique was already exceptionally strong, with clearly defined muscles on his bare arms, indicating that he had undergone extremely rigorous training.

But compared to his still somewhat boyish face, the focus of everyone's attention was clearly on his right hand, which was still dripping lava and scorching the ground beneath his feet.

Kekkei Genkai · Lava Release.

Its destructive power is among the top of all rare bloodlines in the entire Ninja World.

The man who was easily killed by the boy was at least Jonin strength before being imprisoned in this jail.

While it's possible that his body had just been freed from its restraints and hadn't fully recovered, the fact that this boy, who looked no more than twelve or thirteen years old, could so easily and brutally kill a Jonin...

No matter how you look at it, it's just too exaggerated.

"Huh? What are you looking at! Anyone want to take over from that guy and go up next?!"

Kaneki Eito casually flicked his hand, excitedly scanning the silent onlookers around him, and grinned in a provocative manner.

Just as he raised his right hand, which had regained its crimson glow, preparing to randomly select a few more unlucky souls to add to the festivities, a broad and powerful hand suddenly pressed down on his shoulder.

"That's enough, Kaneki Eito, you've gone... too far."

A tall, middle-aged man had appeared behind Kaneki Eito at some point.

The man wore a dark robe and had long black hair. Although he looked to be only about thirty years old, his face already appeared quite weathered.

He firmly pressed down on Eto's shoulder and reprimanded him in a calm tone:

"The reason I removed the Heavenly Prison seal from that prisoner is because you promised me that this time you would stop short of killing him and spare his life."

But now it seems you haven't kept your promise.

Mui slowly shifted his gaze from the still-steaming, charred remains, looking at the boy's brows furrowing as his interest was interrupted, and announced expressionlessly:

"According to the rules, starting today, you are no longer qualified to select combat opponents from the prisoners of Hozuki Castle."

Hearing Mui's calm yet unyielding pronouncement, the surrounding prisoners couldn't help but breathe a long sigh of relief.

They looked up, their gazes complex as they looked at the tall man standing behind Kaneki Eito.

Lord of Hozuki Castle, Mui.

The leader of the Kusagakure faction, "Grass Fruit," is also the only top-tier fighter in the prison openly possessing "Kage"-level strength.

Once upon a time, this man was the object of intense hatred for the prisoners held captive here.

And now, this ruthless man who once personally sealed the Heavenly Prison into their bodies has become the only maintainer of order they can count on in this increasingly insane hell—it's truly ironic.

Looking at Wuwei's Mui and cold face, Kaneki Eito thought to himself, "This is troublesome."

He forcefully broke free from the shoulders that Wuwei Mui holding firmly, and curled his lip in disdain:

"Heh, that's not up to you. Don't forget, Uncle Mui, this is no longer your Hozuki Castle."

You're just a nominal city lord now. This is Night City, Lord Madara's territory!

As he spoke, a boy who looked exactly like him, but whose expression was noticeably more reserved and composed, silently Earth Flow to his side.

Kaneki Mitero handed the water glass and towel to Eto, then quietly stepped back to her brother's side, staring hostilely at Mui, who was frowning in front of her.

Kaneki Eito took the water cup and towel from his younger brother, tilted his head back and took a big gulp of water, casually draped the towel over his shoulder, and then gently rubbed his brother's head.

After doing all this, he turned his gaze back and said in a cold, arrogant voice:

"As a fellow member of the [Moon] organization, you have no right to meddle in my affairs."

After all, we need you to pick a few prisoners for us brothers to break the seal so we can practice in real combat... This is Lord Madara's arrangement."

Hearing Kaneki Eito's confident words, the prisoners' faces instantly turned extremely ugly, and they all looked at Mui, who had been silent since the beginning.

Mui looked at the boy who was glaring at him arrogantly, his stiff face still devoid of any extra expression.

But the immense and powerful Chakra within him had already silently erupted, pressing down fiercely on the boy in front of him!

Feeling the heavy pressure from this Kage Level powerhouse, Kaneki Eito showed no fear whatsoever; instead, he grinned with extreme excitement.

He slowly raised his right hand, which had been reignited with scorching magma, to his front, his eyes surging with an almost morbid fighting spirit.

Meanwhile, Kaneki Mitero, standing close to his brother, had a metallic sheen gleaming on his already robust body!

That was another Kekkei Genkai he had awakened, inherited from the Kaneki Clan — Steel Release!

The two brothers, who were originally only Jonin the level of Jonin when fighting alone, now seemed to be showing signs of being able to directly confront Mui.

Mui sensed the powerful aura emanating from the two brothers before him, a aura far beyond their years, his brow furrowed slightly.

After a moment's thought, he slowly withdrew his outward aura back into his body and said expressionlessly:

"I came to you, not to engage in this pointless fight."

"... ha?"

Kaneki Eito was taken aback at first, Mui said coldly to Wuwei with great displeasure:

"What's going on, sir! I finally managed to get a little interested! Are you scared now?!"

Mui ignored Kaneki Eito's low-level provocation, turned around expressionlessly, and said in a deep voice:

"That sir has returned."

Having said that, he fell silent and walked steadily toward the main city of the "Night City," which was no longer called Hozuki Castle.

Kaneki Eito Eto's arrogant demeanor froze the moment he heard "that person."

He exchanged a quick glance with Kaneki Mitero beside him, then, with remarkable tacit understanding, simultaneously took a step forward to catch up with the tall figure that was gradually disappearing from sight...

The prisoners who remained in the same spot breathed a sigh of relief as they watched the three finally disappear completely from sight.

They took one last look at the almost unrecognizable remains, silently lowered their heads, and hurriedly dispersed...