Beneath the pale moonlight.
On the street.
The killing continued. Sosuke coldly slaughtered the bandits, his movements sharp and decisive. Nearly every strike was fatal, without the slightest hesitation!
From beginning to end, he never drew Kyoka Suigetsu.
These nobodies weren't worthy of making him draw his blade.
Though he was somewhat tired by now, his opponents had long since become a pack of strays, their fighting spirit gone as they scattered in every direction.
After all, these bandits were nothing more than a ragtag group of fallen samurai and street thugs. Their numbers might have been enough to threaten a less capable ninja!
But facing a ninja elite like Sosuke, who cut through them without resistance, they had come to understand despair!
Just as Sosuke caught up with another of them and effortlessly lifted him, crushing his throat—
Two people suddenly appeared, giving him no time to react!
They immediately unleashed their ninjutsu!
"Earth Release: Earth Drop Lid!"
"Wind Release: Pressure Damage!"
As their voices rang out—
A huge slab of earth came crashing down toward Sosuke!
At the same time, a violent gale spiraled toward him from the other direction, cutting off every possible escape route!
A cunning, triumphant look flashed across both their faces!
We finally caught you off guard, brat! Pay the price for your arrogance! Being a ninja isn't as easy as you think!
They had been lying in wait nearby all along, waiting for the ordinary bandits to wear Sosuke down and for him to let his guard slip. The moment he did, they would strike!
Watching from a distance, Shimura Kazumi's heart lurched at the sight. She couldn't help crying out in alarm.
This is bad! When did those people get here!? That arrogant brat! You just had to swagger around like that! Now you've gotten yourself into trouble!
Though she grumbled about Sosuke, her hands moved without the slightest hesitation.
She raced toward them at once!
Midair, she had already finished forming the Hand Seals for her ninjutsu!
"Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere!"
She raised her lips and blew with all her might.
Dozens of wind spheres, their currents spinning at a tremendous speed, shot toward the two ninjas!
The spheres' powerful, spiraling currents hissed through the air!
The sudden attack left both ninjas trembling with fear!
They turned in disbelief to look at Shimura Kazumi as she charged toward them!
Who else is here!? This is bad! We've been tricked by the Konoha Ninja!!!
The two were only Chunin. Faced with the sudden attack, they had no time to react. All they could do was stare pale-faced at the assault closing in on them!
Just then—
"Earth Release: Earth Barrier!"
A deep voice rang out in the distance, and a thick earthen wall suddenly rose, blocking the powerful Vacuum Spheres!
"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!" ...
Not only did the ninjas on the bandits' side get caught up in the blast, but the two ninjutsu aimed at Sosuke also crashed down at that moment! A series of violent explosions rang out, kicking up clouds of dust.
Smoke billowed everywhere!
With no time to worry about the two ninjas, Shimura Kazumi anxiously looked toward where Sosuke had been, searching all around for him.
Damn brat!! You'd better be all right! If something happens to you here, how am I supposed to explain it to your uncle!!!
As she looked toward the massive rocks that had crashed to the ground—
In another cloud of dust and smoke.
The two ninjas who had been saved by their leader's ninjutsu were still reeling, their hearts pounding. Just moments ago, they had been a single step away from death!
One of them hadn't even caught his breath before he hurriedly said,
"Quick, get out of here!! That newcomer is too strong. We can't fight him... Ah!!!"
A blade tip had quietly emerged from the center of his chest, where his heart was.
The blade was as smooth as a mirror, not a drop of blood upon it.
Everyone present naturally heard his scream!
When Shimura Kazumi saw no sign of Sosuke, she quickly turned toward the sound, her eyes widening in shock!
Could that brat have...!?
In the distance, the ninja leader who had just saved the bandit ninjas, along with the ninjas behind him, also turned pale!
No!! That was Enta's voice!!
Behind the Earth Barrier.
The other ninja stared in horror at Enta's back!
A figure wearing a deep-blue mask stood there, perfectly still. Who else could it be but Sosuke?
He slowly withdrew Kyoka Suigetsu from the ninja's chest. Without the blade to support him, Enta immediately crumpled to the ground, blood rapidly spreading across the earth.
"How... how is that possible!? You survived that ninjutsu!? And you even managed to kill Enta!!" The surviving ninja stared at Sosuke in panic.
He was filled with regret for staying behind to deal with the Konoha Ninja who had attacked them!
If he had known the newcomer would be this hard to handle, he never would have urged their captain to stay. Now it seemed that, because of his advice, their entire group of ninjas might be wiped out!
Hearing him, Sosuke replied softly, his voice rich and resonant.
"Because those movements were far too slow. Your ninjutsu and your movements are all just as slow..."
Facing someone about to die, he didn't mind showing a little kindness. They were a pack of beasts who killed and plundered, but at the very least, letting them understand why they were dying was only proper mercy.
As soon as he finished speaking, the bandit ninja saw Sosuke vanish before his eyes.
Behind his ear, Sosuke's rich voice suddenly sounded. Now, though, it seemed as cold as a Death God's.
"...Even the way you fall is so slow. You people simply don't interest me."
The bandit ninja's face was blank. He felt a pain in his chest and realized his strength was fading. As the gentle, soft voice sounded by his ear, his body slowly fell to the ground.
Behind him, Sosuke wore a cold smile and continued speaking to himself.
"Though I must admit I don't particularly like it, I should at least explain: that technique just now is called Senka. For a bunch like you, it's quite an appropriate technique."
As Sosuke's words fell, the bandit ninja's consciousness grew hazy. In his fading vision, he seemed to see the innocent people he had cruelly murdered. They stood in the distance, staring coldly at him as they waited for him to die.
Senka... What a beautiful name... To die by such a technique... is perhaps a small mercy for someone as unforgivable as me...
Behind him, Sosuke gently slid Kyoka Suigetsu back into its sheath.
The same cold smile remained on his face as he slowly raised his head and looked at the figures rushing toward him.
Beneath his mask, he murmured a few words.
"And... seven more?"
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