Cat and Mouse Game

Two years later.

In the forest outside Konoha, the sound of explosions rang out incessantly.

Three figures were darting rapidly through the dense woods.

Of these three, one was tall and dark-skinned, while the other two were of average build.

Judging by their appearance, all three were in a sorry state; not only were their clothes tattered, but everyone was wounded, their faces etched with panic.

Behind the trio, a golden laser suddenly shot forth, narrowly missing one of them.

Although they weren't struck by the beam, the explosion it triggered sent all three flying.

Adjusting their bodies in mid-air, the three barely managed to land on their feet before continuing their sprint forward without a moment's hesitation.

"That—that guy is a monster!" one of them gasped, his right hand bleeding profusely.

"Don't speak!" the tall man commanded coldly.

"We won't be able to escape like this," another said, sounding somewhat desperate.

As soon as these words were uttered, they dealt a heavy blow to the entire group.

The tall ninja, acting as the leader, steeled his heart and quickly made a decision.

"We split up and run!"

Hearing this, the three did not hesitate or question; they leaped in three different directions.

Just then, a golden slash appeared out of thin air, slicing the ninja running to the right in two.

Simultaneously, a golden laser shot toward the left, precisely striking the thigh of the ninja fleeing in that direction.

"Ah!" Letting out a miserable scream, the ninja clutched his wound and collapsed to the ground.

His pupils contracting, the only leader who hadn't been attacked realized that if he kept running, he would also be met with a fatal blow.

He had no choice but to stop in frustration, landing beside his injured comrade and scanning his surroundings warily.

"If you guys escape, I'm going to have a lot of trouble!" A cheap, lewd voice rang out from not far away.

Hearing the voice, the leader gripped his kunai and looked nervously toward the source, yet he saw no one.

The surroundings returned to silence. Clutching his kunai, the leader felt as if he were being driven mad.

"You monster, come out if you have the guts! You damn bastard!" Thinking of the three comrades who had already sacrificed themselves, the tall ninja shouted in a mix of rage and breakdown.

"How righteous of you! Even though you were the ones who came to assassinate me!" The voice sounded again, but this time from behind him.

The leader spun around like a startled cat, only to find nothing there.

"Hey, hey, hey! You looked the wrong way!" The voice sounded from behind him again. The leader, who had just turned around, spun back like a top.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Your companion looks like he's going to bleed to death. What a terrifying way to go!"

The voice sounded once more, this time from the side, where his teammate had fallen.

Making a judgment, the leader hurriedly looked over.

A transparent human figure gradually materialized from the air; their assassination target, the monster of Konoha, Shimura Kizaru, had revealed himself.

Stepping on the fallen ninja, hands in his pockets, Kizaru—now standing at 190 centimeters—looked at the ninja before him with a smirk.

"You monster!" Shouting, the leader surged with electricity and lunged at Kizaru at high speed like a sharp arrow.

As the kunai in his hand drew closer to Kizaru, seeing that he didn't move and seemed not to have reacted, a glimmer of relief appeared on the leader's face.

"Die!" he screamed, driving the kunai into his target's body, only for it to pass straight through as if it had hit air.

His eyes widening to their limit, the leader stared in disbelief at the smiling Kizaru.

His body froze in place, the kunai still embedded in Kizaru, and the leader found himself completely unable to accept the reality.

Facing the enemy's gaze, which was filled with shock and confusion, Kizaru slowly lowered his head to look at the kunai in his chest.

After glancing at the kunai, Kizaru looked back at his enemy.

Seeing the enemy's expression turn to despair, the kind-hearted Kizaru reacted.

"Ah!"

Raising a hand to cover his chest, Kizaru performed an exaggerated backward lean and collapsed against the tree behind him.

Sliding down the trunk, Kizaru sat on the ground, clutching his chest as he looked at his enemy.

"Ah! I'm dying!" With that, Kizaru tilted his head and closed his eyes.

The kunai fell to the ground. Watching Kizaru sitting there with his head tilted and eyes closed, the leader was stunned.

"You—you lunatic! Pervert! Monster! Are you playing with me? You damn bastard!"

Opening his eyes again, Kizaru stood up from the ground.

"Hey, hey, hey! I'll sue you for slander, you know!" Touching his head, Kizaru said with a smile.

Knowing he was no match and unable to escape his target, the leader launched a suicide attack, charging rapidly toward Kizaru.

Facing the charging enemy, Kizaru didn't dodge or parry, letting him pass straight through his body and slam violently into the tree.

"You're making this very difficult for me!" Kizaru turned to look at the enemy who had smashed his head until it bled, his face full of disdain.

"What exactly do you want from us?" The leader of the ninjas turned around, his back pressed against a tree, and shouted his question.

"Drop your weapons, come back with me, and remember: leniency for those who confess, severity for those who resist!" Kizaru said with a smile.

"Impossible!"

Knowing how much trouble it would cause if he fell into Konoha's hands alive, the leader flatly refused.

Without further hesitation, the leader glanced at his fallen comrade and raised his hand, stabbing fiercely toward his own throat.

His movements were fast, but Kizaru's were faster!

His right leg glowing, Kizaru kicked out a crescent shape, like a sharp laser blade, which cleanly severed the enemy's right hand.

Gritting his teeth without letting out a cry of pain, the ninja glared at Kizaru, his eyes bloodshot.

"Game over!" Kizaru said with a laugh, lunging forward to knock the disarmed enemy unconscious.

After laying the enemy on the ground, Kizaru turned his attention to the other one.

He stepped forward and raised his right leg high, placing his foot on the face of the ninja lying on the ground as light particles gathered around his lower leg, emitting a dazzling golden glow.

With his glowing foot hovering in mid-air, Kizaru stood with his hands in his pockets, saying nothing as he looked off into the distance.

"One, two."

"I surrender! Don't kill me!" With a weaker mental fortitude, this ninja could no longer bear the sword of light hanging over his head.

"Three!"

"Ah!" Hearing the count of three, the ninja let out a scream, frantically shielding his head with his hands.

Tears welled up in his eyes, and a puddle began to form beneath him; the ninja's mental defenses had completely shattered.

Catching a whiff of the stench, Kizaru shook his head in disgust and withdrew his right leg amidst the enemy's frantic wailing.

"They're here."

Still keeping his eyes on the distance, six figures wearing Anbu masks appeared in Kizaru's line of sight.

"You lot certainly arrived right on time!" Kizaru joked with a smile as he faced the six familiar Anbu members.

Landing on the ground and scanning the area, the Anbu ninjas breathed a sigh of relief upon confirming that two enemies were still alive.

"Leave the rest to us," one of the Anbu wearing a Fox Mask stepped forward and said to Kizaru.

"Then I'll leave it to you!" With that, Kizaru began walking back toward the village, putting distance between himself and the place that now reeked of urine.

"That kid is getting stronger by the day," the Fox Mask Anbu remarked, watching Kizaru's retreating figure with a sigh of admiration.

"I heard he defeated Sakumo-senpai in a one-on-one duel last month," another Anbu ninja added, equally impressed.

"Let's get to work."

With that, Fox Mask pulled his gaze away, walked over to the ninja with the severed arm, and began to treat his wounds.