Hearing Miki Ichiro insult his ramen like that, Uncle Ichiraku's expression changed, and he flew into a rage!
"Bastard! I don't care if you look down on me, but you absolutely cannot insult my ramen! It's my livelihood, something I've poured all my passion into! You don't get to slander it like that!"
Uncle Ichiraku's voice boomed, immediately drawing a crowd of onlookers.
When they learned that Miki Ichiro had publicly insulted Ichiraku Ramen, they became even more furious!
"Kid, you've got some nerve! Uncle Teuchi was making ramen before you were even born!"
"What's wrong with making ramen? How does it affect you? Who do you think you are, looking down on people? So you're a ninja—big deal!"
"Come on! Let's go tell Lord Hokage and get a fair ruling! We'll say this guy insulted us civilians, and let Lord Hokage decide what to do!"
When Miki Ichiro heard they were going to Lord Hokage, his face turned deathly pale. He was already ashen, but now he looked completely bloodless!
Everyone knew that the Fifth Hokage, Lady Tsunade, cared deeply for the people and paid particular attention to civilians.
If this really reached Tsunade, Miki Ichiro would certainly be punished severely!
"Th-that... I misspoke just now... I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that... I actually do like ramen..."
Faced with the crowd's pressure, Miki Ichiro had no choice but to apologize meekly to calm their anger.
Only then did the crowd gradually disperse.
"Slurp—"
By then, Takizawa Dan had finished his ramen and placed the money on the table.
"Uncle Ichiraku, I've got something to take care of. I'll be going."
Then he turned to Miki Ichiro, whose expression was grim. "Come on. Let's find somewhere secluded and settle this."
Miki Ichiro nodded grimly and followed Takizawa Dan away.
A short while later, the two found an isolated, empty clearing and stood facing each other.
"Let's get straight to it. You came because of Hyuga Niuda, didn't you?" Takizawa Dan asked slowly.
Miki Ichiro couldn't help but freeze. Was this kid really that clever?
But even if he hadn't guessed, Miki Ichiro would have told him himself. He nodded and stared at Takizawa Dan with a cold gaze. "That's right. I'm the instructor of Hyuga Niuda's squad, and he's also my most prized student. Now you've crippled him and gotten him expelled from the Hyuga Clan. Today, I'm going to avenge him!"
"Heh. It was Hyuga Neji who crippled Hyuga Niuda and got him expelled from the Hyuga Clan. Why not go after Neji for revenge?" Takizawa Dan sneered.
Miki Ichiro was momentarily speechless.
Hyuga Neji was one of the most famous talents of Konoha's new generation, and he was still a junior. Miki Ichiro would have to throw away his reputation to attack him in full view of everyone. And even setting his reputation aside, Neji had the Hyuga Clan behind him. How could he afford to provoke them?!
"Ah, so you really are a coward." Seeing his reaction, Takizawa Dan shook his head. "I'd say avenging Hyuga Niuda is just an excuse. What you really resent is that I ruined your plan to cozy up to the Hyuga Clan, isn't that right?"
"Heh, kid, you're not stupid at all!" Miki Ichiro laughed. "I really underestimated you before. You're not entirely useless!"
"But if only you'd stayed content being useless! You just had to ruin my prospects! Now you'll have to pay with your life! A useless piece of trash like you wouldn't be missed even if a hundred or a thousand of you died!"
As he spoke, Miki Ichiro erupted with a terrifying killing intent!
Takizawa Dan's heart sank. Miki Ichiro wasn't joking. He really meant to kill him!
"Wind Style: Kamaitachi Jutsu!"
Without hesitation, Takizawa Dan quickly formed Hand Seals and unleashed his ninjutsu!
All squad instructors were at least elite jonin. Facing an enemy this powerful, Takizawa Dan absolutely couldn't let him get close!
Perhaps Takizawa Dan could defeat Hyuga Niuda and the two assassins, whose skills weren't especially impressive, thanks to the element of surprise and his powerful Taijutsu and ninjutsu.
But against a true elite jonin, his odds of winning one-on-one were less than one in ten!
At his shout, countless blades of wind swept across the clearing, then rushed toward Miki Ichiro all at once!
"What?! You can use ninjutsu?"
Miki Ichiro's pupils contracted. He seemed extremely surprised by what he'd discovered.
But he quickly sneered. "Heh, I've heard some black-market merchants sell single-use scrolls that can unleash ninjutsu. You came prepared, didn't you?"
"Too bad for you, you're facing a true elite jonin from Konoha!"
"Did you really think a little jutsu like this could take my life?!"
Miki Ichiro scoffed. Just as the blades of wind were about to hit him, his entire body suddenly grew indistinct, almost turning into an illusion.
"Wind Style: Floating Catkin Jutsu!"
Whoosh!!!
A blade of wind sliced past, but only grazed his afterimage.
Amid the storm of wind blades, Miki Ichiro strolled as if he were taking a leisurely walk in a garden. Each time, he nimbly evaded the attack and edged closer to Takizawa Dan!
Takizawa Dan couldn't help admiring the elite jonin's strength. If he didn't have another trick up his sleeve, he'd be in serious trouble today!
So he quickly retreated and pressed his index and middle fingers together!
"Multi Shadow Clone Technique!"
Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof—
In an instant, dozens of clones appeared, lined up in a densely packed row!
"Clone Technique? Heh, that sort of thing is useful for scouting the enemy, but you want to use it in a fight? Utterly foolish!"
Miki Ichiro sneered.
Takizawa Dan's lips curled up. Soon, Miki Ichiro would find out who was really foolish!
"Wind Style: Kamaitachi Jutsu!!!"
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh—
Dozens of clones unleashed the same jutsu at the same time!
In an instant, the number of wind blades in the clearing multiplied dozens of times, filling the space!
"What!!!?"
Miki Ichiro's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets!
Weren't ninja clones supposed to have no fighting ability and disappear as soon as they took even a little damage?
How could they use ninjutsu?! This was completely beyond anything he knew!
But he had no time left to think about it. There were simply too many wind blades filling the space! Even with his evasion jutsu, he could only dodge some of them!
Miki Ichiro desperately dodged from side to side and struggled with all his might, but there was nothing he could do.
Clang!
Finally, two minutes later, Miki Ichiro had used up all his shuriken and Kunai. Trapped in a corner with nowhere left to dodge, he let out a desperate roar as a razor-sharp blade of wind sliced across his neck!
In an instant, blood sprayed everywhere, and his head separated from his body!!!
Thud!
The headless corpse fell to its knees.
As his clones vanished, Takizawa Dan stared at the result of his fight, stunned.
He couldn't believe he'd actually managed to kill an elite jonin from Konoha with his own hands!
Although Miki Ichiro had been among the weakest elite jonin in Konoha...
He had still been a genuine elite jonin!
Before you continue