Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting dappled shadows over the quiet forest. Liuxia stood silently beneath the shade of a towering tree, his gaze calm and deep, as if he could see through everything. The Forest of Death rarely saw sunlight and was already fraught with danger. The occasional roar of some unknown animal in the distance only made it more eerie and terrifying.
Liuxia had deliberately made a show of the Scroll of Earth he held at the place where they had collected their scrolls. It was all part of a carefully laid plan. He knew that such a display would draw the attention of greedy, ambitious ninja. Like sharks scenting blood, they wouldn't be able to resist the temptation.
He had also turned down Nawaki and the others' request to join forces, because he needed to act alone to ensure his plan went smoothly. He had made it look as though he had gotten separated from his team, so the other ninja would see him as an easy target. Now it was time to close the net.
"That guy's alone! Ha, luck's on our side. Looks like we'll be able to collect all the scrolls we need," one of them said excitedly, his voice full of greed and smugness.
"Yeah, but be careful. He might not be easy to deal with," another warned, a note of caution in his voice.
"What's there to be afraid of? There are so many of us. You think we can't handle one guy?" a third scoffed confidently.
"Exactly. And look at him—he seems to be a Konoha Ninja. Probably got separated from his team. Heh, I've hated those big-nation ninja for ages. No harm in killing him today!" someone chimed in, his words revealing his hostility toward Konoha Ninja.
Liuxia smiled faintly. He knew the ninja had already fallen into his trap. He adjusted his Forehead Protector to make sure it sat snugly against his brow, then slowly stepped out of the shadows to face the ninja plotting nearby.
"Hey, you Kusagakure guys. You're plotting pretty loudly. Didn't your academy teach you to stay hidden?" Liuxia said calmly and firmly, without the slightest hint of fear or nerves.
The ninja jumped in surprise at Liuxia's sudden appearance. They hadn't expected him to discover them so quickly. Surprise and unease showed on their faces, but they soon regained their confidence.
"Hmph. Since you've heard us, hand over that Scroll of Earth nice and easy. Otherwise, don't blame us for being rough," the leader said with a scornful sneer. The ninja had already gripped their weapons, ready to attack at any moment.
"If you want it, come and take it, you Kusagakure uncles." Liuxia gently swung the Scroll of Earth in his hand.
Liuxia's obvious contempt enraged the three Grass Ninja before him. He was only eighteen, after all, even if he did look a little old.
"Damn it! Attack! Take him down, quickly!"
At their leader's command, the three Grass Ninja launched their assault. Their movements were swift and coordinated, clearly honed through long training and practice. They attacked Liuxia from three different directions, hoping to overwhelm him with their numbers.
Liuxia shifted lightly and dodged their first attack with ease. His movements were quick and nimble, like a breeze in the forest, impossible to pin down. His keen eyes tracked every move and intention.
"Looks like you still haven't learned to hide your intentions," Liuxia taunted as he dodged, a playful note in his voice.
The Grass Ninja were provoked by Liuxia's taunts and attacked even more fiercely. But no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't lay a finger on him. Liuxia moved through the forest like a nimble deer, evading every attack.
Just then, Liuxia came to an abrupt stop and looked toward the depths of the forest. Other ninja were hiding there, watching and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
"What are you waiting for? Hoping to watch me get beaten, then swoop in and take the spoils?" Liuxia shouted, his voice echoing through the forest.
His words startled the hidden ninja. They realized they'd been spotted. From the way things looked, Liuxia was clearly one of Konoha's promising young talents. If they could take him down, they'd earn a handsome reward back in their village, whether or not they passed the exam. With that in mind, more than a dozen figures leaped out from behind trees and bushes, joining the fight in unspoken agreement to take down the Konoha brat first.
The battle grew even more intense. Liuxia was no longer facing just three opponents, but a whole group of ninja. Yet he showed no fear or panic. Instead, a glint of excitement flashed in his eyes.
"Now this is getting interesting," Liuxia murmured. He began to move at high speed and drew the Crimson Blood Sword, but didn't unsheathe it. He still needed to leave them alive so they could spread his name.
Liuxia swiftly counterattacked, weaving through the ninja. Every strike landed precisely on a vital point. The ninja fell one after another, their eyes filled with disbelief.
The battle ended quickly. Liuxia stood among the fallen ninja. He adjusted his Forehead Protector, then took their scrolls—all Scrolls of Heaven—and smiled with satisfaction.
"Looks like I've made a pretty good haul today. The guys carrying Scrolls of Earth are in for a treat!" Liuxia muttered to himself, then turned and left the forest to continue his journey.
While Liuxia was fishing up a dozen or so little fish, at the other end of the forest, Nawaki and his teammates were locked in a tense standoff. They had just finished a battle and found a safe place to recover their strength and chakra, only to run into trouble.
As the team's sensory ninja, Hyuga Suzuran was quick to notice the disturbance around them. Her Byakugan let her see through her surroundings and even sense the flow of chakra. When she detected three sources of chakra rapidly approaching, she immediately woke Nawaki and Uchiha Yan, who had been resting.
"Nawaki, Uchiha Yan, three sources of chakra are rushing toward us from the east. Judging by their chakra, they're the Sunagakure team from earlier. Looks like they're coming for us."
Nawaki and Uchiha Yan immediately snapped out of their resting state. They jumped to their feet and prepared for battle.
"Perfect. I couldn't teach them a lesson in the exam hall last time, but this time I'll make them regret it!"
"Nawaki, don't be careless. From what I can sense of their chakra, none of them are weak." Seeing how quickly Nawaki rushed into things, Hyuga Suzuran reminded him to be cautious. She couldn't afford to let her guard down; she had a reason she absolutely had to advance.
"Hmph. Sunagakure—just a bunch of cowards who only know how to scheme behind people's backs! Against the power of my Uchiha clan, they'll only lose!" Uchiha Yan remained as aloof and confident as ever.
Hyuga Suzuran said nothing more. She continued using her Byakugan to keep a close watch on the enemy's movements. She could sense that they were already very close.
Before you continue