Takizawa Dan clamped a hand over Hyuga Hanabi's little mouth and calmly addressed the surroundings. "Friends, since you're here, why not show yourselves? What kind of heroes hide in the shadows?"
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Two masked ninjas dropped from the sky and landed up ahead.
Neither of them wore a Forehead Protector, so Takizawa Dan couldn't tell which ninja village they came from.
"Heh heh, the heavens are helping us! We finally caught Hyuga Hanabi away from her clan and without their protection! And she's only got a kid with her. This mission's way too easy!" one ninja said with a strange laugh.
"Kid, you're well into your teens and still don't even have a ninja Forehead Protector. You must be Takizawa Dan, the famous number-one loser of Konoha. You're unlucky to have run into us today!" The other ninja looked him over with scorn.
Takizawa Dan was speechless. He hadn't expected his reputation as a loser to be so great that it had spread throughout the entire Shinobi World!
He already had a Forehead Protector; it was just in his pocket, and he hadn't put it on.
But from the way they spoke, they seemed to be after Hanabi?
No doubt about it—they were after the Byakugan!
As the saying went, a man wasn't guilty of a crime, but possessing a treasure was. It was pretty unfair that Hanabi had been dragged into this for no reason.
"Second brother, I'll grab Hanabi! You kill that loser!"
"Big brother... Didn't they tell us to just capture Hanabi and avoid killing anyone unless absolutely necessary?"
"You idiot! That kid's seen our faces. What if he calls for reinforcements later? We have to silence him!"
Having made up their minds, the two ninjas rushed at Takizawa Dan and Hanabi from either side!
At this critical moment, Takizawa Dan's mind raced. First, he dodged the second brother's attack, then kicked him hard toward the big brother!
Bang!!!
"AAAAAAH!"
The second brother screamed as he was sent flying, crashing into the big brother, who had been just about to grab Hanabi!
Boom!!!
They both went flying and slammed into a tree as thick as a man!
"Idiot! What are you doing!? I was this close to catching her!"
"Big brother... It's not my fault... For some reason, that loser from Konoha is incredibly fast. He sent me flying with one hit!"
At his words, the big brother's expression turned grave. He looked at Takizawa Dan in the distance, then chuckled.
"Kid, I didn't expect you to have some skill. No wonder you're so calm!"
"Too bad you don't have any chakra! Let's see how you deal with my ninjutsu!"
With that, he quickly formed Hand Seals.
"Multi Shadow Clone Technique!"
Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof—
A cloud of smoke rose, and dozens of identical copies of the big brother appeared in front of Takizawa Dan!
"Kill!!!"
Dozens of clones, along with the big and second brothers, charged at Takizawa Dan!
Hanabi was so frightened that she squeezed her eyes shut.
Seeing this, Takizawa Dan couldn't help but laugh.
What a godsend! It was the perfect chance to test out the ninjutsu he'd just learned!
Without hesitation, Takizawa Dan began forming Hand Seals too, even faster than the big brother!
"B-Big brother, that loser's forming Hand Seals too! He even looks like he knows what he's doing!"
The big brother's eyes narrowed slightly, but he quickly let out a cold laugh.
"Hmph! Ignore him. He's just putting on a show! What use are Hand Seals to a loser with no chakra? It's not like he can use ninjutsu!"
Just then, Takizawa Dan formed the final hand seal.
Shielding Hanabi behind him, he stepped forward and shouted:
"Wind Style: Dance of the Kamaitachi!!!"
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
A gale suddenly swept through the forest. Countless wind blades whirled wildly toward the big brother, the second brother, and their dozens of clones!
The wind blades cut through them—
Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof...
The clones burst one after another, dissolving back into smoke!
"!!!"
At that moment, the big and second brothers went pale with shock!
"What the hell! What's going on!!! How can you use ninjutsu without chakra? AAAAAH!!! And it's such powerful Wind Release!!!"
"Genjutsu! It has to be genjutsu!!! It's all an illusion!"
But as soon as the second brother shouted, a sharp wind blade sliced right across his neck!
Splat!!!
His head separated from his body, and blood sprayed everywhere!
"AAAAAAH!!! Second brother!!!!!"
The big brother was grief-stricken, but he couldn't stop what seemed like an endless storm of wind blades!
Splat! Splat! Splat! Splat...
One after another, his limbs were sliced off by the wind blades. The big brother fell to the ground, bleeding profusely!
With a thought from Takizawa Dan, the wind blades began to dissipate.
At the same time, a barely noticeable timer appeared in the corner of his vision, slowly counting down:
Wind Style: Dance of the Kamaitachi, 29:59.
That meant he wouldn't be able to use the technique again for thirty minutes.
Takizawa Dan walked over with Hanabi. She had never seen such a gruesome, bloody scene and couldn't help covering her eyes, too afraid to look.
Takizawa Dan remained expressionless as he asked the big brother, who lay helplessly on the ground, "Tell me. Who are you, and who sent you?"
"Heh heh heh..." The big brother laughed, though it sounded even worse than crying. "Takizawa Dan... I really underestimated you. So you're not a loser at all—you're a formidable fighter!"
"Some people just don't like to show off. It's nothing," Takizawa Dan said, shaking his head.
"But you shouldn't have killed my little brother!" the big brother suddenly shouted. "Do you know he was my biological brother, and we grew up together? He was my only family in this world! And you killed him! You demon! Even if I die, I'll curse you forever!"
The big brother glared at him with venomous hatred, but Takizawa Dan only chuckled.
"So what? Should I have stood there and done nothing, then let you brothers kill me and take Hanabi away?"
"How many people have died at your hands over the years? Before killing them, did you ever think they had siblings, parents, wives, or children too?"
"You dared to sneak into Konoha and kidnap a young lady from a prominent clan. You should've been prepared to die here! I thought you might at least be a decent man, but now I see you don't even know how to die like a ninja!"
After hearing this, the big brother's gaze dimmed. His face was deathly pale, and his lips moved as if he wanted to say something.
In the end, he didn't get the chance. His head lolled to the side, and the last of his life faded away!
Damn, I shouldn't have wasted time talking to him. I might've learned something useful. Takizawa Dan was annoyed with himself.
A green fragment fell from the man's corpse.
Takizawa Dan stepped forward and picked it up.
[Congratulations, Host! You have obtained an ability: Multi Shadow Clone Technique! (Can copy the Host's movements and ninjutsu!)] [Cooldown: 60 minutes] [Host's current abilities: Basic Taijutsu, Basic Gentle Fist, Wind Style: Dance of the Kamaitachi, Multi Shadow Clone Technique!]
"Ta-Takizawa... Takizawa, this..."
Hanabi looked at the two masked ninjas, dead on the ground and mutilated, then hesitantly turned to Takizawa Dan.
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