Liuxia Fishes, Those Who Wish Take the Bait!

Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting dappled shadows across the tranquil forest. Liuxia stood silently in the shade of a towering tree, his gaze calm and profound, as if he could perceive everything. The Forest of Death rarely saw the sun, and it felt fraught with peril; the occasional roar of unknown beasts in the distance added a layer of gloom and terror to the woods.

Liuxia had deliberately displayed the Scroll of Earth in his possession when he first collected it, a high-profile move that was part of his carefully crafted plan. He knew such behavior would attract the attention of greedy and ambitious ninjas, who were like sharks catching the scent of blood, unable to resist the temptation.

He had also rejected the request from Nawaki and the others to join forces, as he needed to act alone to ensure his plan proceeded smoothly. He intentionally made it appear as though he had been separated from his team, leading those ninjas to believe he was an easy target. Now was the moment to close the net.

"That guy is alone! Haha, heaven is truly helping me; it looks like we can complete our set of scrolls," one of them said excitedly, his voice dripping with greed and triumph.

"Hmm, but be careful. The opponent might not be easy to deal with," another warned, his voice tinged with caution.

"What are you afraid of? There are so many of us; can't we beat just one?" the third person's voice was filled with disdain and confidence.

"Exactly. And looking at him, he seems to be a Konoha ninja who probably got separated from his squad. Heh, I've always hated those ninjas from the Great Nations. Killing him today wouldn't be a problem at all!" someone chimed in, their tone revealing resentment and hostility toward Konoha ninjas.

Liuxia smiled faintly; he knew these ninjas had already fallen into his trap. He gently adjusted his forehead protector to ensure it was snug against his brow, then slowly stepped out of the shadows to face the conspiring ninjas.

"Hey, you Kusagakure lot, you're whispering way too loudly. Didn't your academy teach you how to hide?" Liuxia said calmly, his voice steady and firm, devoid of any fear or tension.

The ninjas were startled by Liuxia's sudden appearance; they hadn't expected him to discover their presence so quickly. Expressions of surprise and unease flickered across their faces, but they quickly regained their confidence.

"Hmph, since you've already heard us, just hand over that Scroll of Earth honestly, or don't blame us for being impolite," the lead ninja sneered contemptuously, his hands already gripping his weapons, ready to strike at any moment.

"If you want it, come and get it! You uncles from Kusagakure," Liuxia said, lightly tossing the Scroll of Earth in his hand.

Liuxia's dismissal clearly infuriated the trio of Kusagakure ninjas; he was only eighteen, even if he did look a bit old for his age.

"Damn it! Attack! Finish him quickly!"

At the leader's command, the Kusagakure trio launched their offensive. Their movements were swift and coordinated, clearly the result of long-term training and teamwork. The three attacked from different directions, attempting to suppress Liuxia with their numerical advantage.

Liuxia swayed, easily dodging the first wave of attacks. His movements were light and agile, like a gust of wind in the forest, elusive and hard to track. His eyes were sharp, discerning every ninja's movement and intent.

"It seems you still haven't learned how to hide your intentions," Liuxia taunted while dodging, his voice laced with amusement.

The Kusagakure ninjas were provoked by his mockery, and their attacks became even more ferocious. Yet, no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't seem to touch a hair on Liuxia. He moved like a nimble deer weaving through the forest, evading every strike.

Just then, Liuxia suddenly stopped and cast his gaze toward the depths of the forest. Other ninjas were hiding there, watching and waiting for the best moment to strike.

"What are you still waiting for? Do you want to watch me get defeated and then swoop in to reap the rewards?" Liuxia shouted, his voice echoing through the woods.

The hidden ninjas were stirred by his words. Realizing they had been discovered, and judging by the situation, they concluded that Liuxia was definitely a top-tier candidate from Konoha. If they could take him down, regardless of whether they passed the exam, they would receive a significant reward from their village. With that in mind, over a dozen figures leaped out from behind trees and bushes, joining the fray with a tacit agreement to take down the Konoha brat first.

The battle intensified; Liuxia was no longer facing just three men, but a whole group of ninjas. Yet, he showed no signs of fear or panic. Instead, a glimmer of excitement flashed in his eyes.

"Now this is interesting," Liuxia whispered. His body began to move rapidly as he drew his Crimson Blood Sword, though he kept it sheathed—he still needed them alive to spread his name.

Liuxia launched a swift counterattack, his figure weaving through the ninjas, each strike landing accurately on a vital point. The ninjas fell one by one, their eyes filled with disbelief.

The battle ended quickly. Liuxia stood in place, surrounded by the fallen ninjas. He adjusted his forehead protector, gathered the scrolls from the group—all of them Scrolls of Heaven—and smiled with satisfaction.

"Looks like today's harvest isn't bad at all. The guys holding the Scrolls of Earth are in for a treat!" Liuxia muttered to himself before turning and leaving the forest to continue his journey.

While Liuxia was reeling in his dozen small 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 stamina and chakra when they ran into trouble.

As the sensory ninja of the team, Hyuga Suzuran keenly sensed the movement around them. Her Byakugan allowed her to perceive the surrounding environment and even detect the flow of chakra. When she discovered three chakra sources approaching rapidly, she immediately woke Nawaki and Uchiha Yan, who were resting.

"Nawaki, Uchiha Yan, there are three chakra sources approaching us rapidly from the east. Judging by the chakra, it's that Sunagakure squad from before. It looks like they're coming for us."

Nawaki and Uchiha Yan immediately shook off their fatigue, standing up and preparing for battle.

"Perfect. I couldn't teach them a lesson in the exam hall last time, but this time I'll make sure they regret it!"

"Nawaki, don't be careless. Based on the chakra signature, none of them are weak," Hyuga Suzuran said, seeing Nawaki's decisiveness and choosing to offer a reminder. She couldn't afford any negligence; she had her own reasons for needing to pass.

"Hmph, Sunagakure—just a bunch of guys who only know how to pull tricks behind people's backs! In the face of my Uchiha power, they'll only meet defeat!" Uchiha Yan remained as arrogant and confident as ever.

Hyuga Suzuran said no more, continuing to use her Byakugan to monitor the enemy's movements closely. She could sense that they were already very close.