Konoha Genin is a Title for the Strong

"I didn't expect you to have heard of me. Not bad, though it's a pity you're about to die."

The tone shifted abruptly.

"However, if you give up your resistance now, I might consider taking you alive."

Tugang addressed the three surrounded youths.

"Prepare for battle!"

Kakashi stepped down from Obito Uchiha's back and spoke coldly.

He slowly drew the short blade from his back. The movement was perhaps too strenuous; fresh blood began to seep from his chest once more.

Obito Uchiha didn't waste words either, pulling out his final kunai. He watched the surrounding enemies with tension.

Although he usually acted as if he didn't care about anything, he could never bring himself to surrender.

He cared deeply about the reputation of the Uchiha clan.

"Hide behind me, I'll take the lead." Genma Shiranui said this, his long blade already pointed toward Tugang.

Seeing the actions of the three, Tugang knew they had rejected his offer.

He chuckled, "Why can't you accept my goodwill? Are you really content to die like this? I, for one, still have many things I need to accomplish."

"I won't die until I've finished what I started."

Facing a situation he considered a guaranteed victory, Tugang continued his attempts at persuasion.

In his eyes, these three young ninjas—all of whom were injured—could be dealt with without the slightest effort.

But at this moment, he preferred the idea of taking Kakashi and the others down without drawing his own blade.

So he continued, "Think about those dreams you absolutely must fulfill. Are you really willing to fall here? Being alive is more important than anything else."

No sooner had he finished speaking than something unexpected happened: Obito Uchiha became visibly agitated.

"Don't you dare look down on us, you bastard. What's with that tone, acting like you've already got us in the bag? Let me, a mere Genin, show you what I'm made of."

With that, Obito Uchiha stepped in front of the other two.

"Oh? You're actually just Genin? You must be Konoha's geniuses, then; otherwise, you wouldn't have been able to kill that guy Ino."

"Thank you for sharing such useful intelligence with me."

The tone shifted once again.

"Oh my, if that's the case, I really can't let you go back alive." Tugang's expression slowly turned cruel.

But in an instant, his face changed drastically.

"No! Yamamura, get out of the way!!" Tugang shouted suddenly, quickly shifting into a defensive stance.

But by the time they reacted, it was already too late.

Yamamura suddenly felt as if a gust of wind had brushed against his cheek.

A moment later, his throat was slashed open.

"Konoha Genin is a title for the strong, you bastard. Don't you dare get that wrong."

At this moment, Ye Yuexin arrived beside Kakashi and the others, speaking calmly to Tugang.

He sheathed the throwing knife that had suddenly appeared in his hand back into its pouch.

Thud, thud. The sound of two bodies hitting the ground echoed.

The two Rock Ninjas standing in the direction Ye Yuexin had approached from had lost their lives just like that.

"So... so cool, Yuexin!!" Obito Uchiha's face flushed with excitement as he let out a strange cry.

"Why did you come here?" Kakashi's expression was equally astonished after seeing Ye Yuexin take out two enemy ninjas so swiftly.

But his gaze grew more serious. He felt as if Konoha's potential losses had just increased by another notch.

At this moment, a small ninja dog slowly crawled out from the collar of Ye Yuexin's shirt.

It was clear now: Rin Nohara must have found Ye Yuexin. At the same time, it meant Rin Nohara was safe.

"You shouldn't have come," Kakashi said, staring into Ye Yuexin's eyes.

By now, Obito Uchiha seemed to have realized the situation as well.

He hurriedly said, "Yuexin, get out of here quickly! The three of us will hold them off. You should still have some chakra left; you can definitely escape."

While the three were still talking, Tugang's expression turned serious and focused.

He had only mentioned Yamamura earlier, but he hadn't sensed the slightest danger from the other person.

Judging by the wounds on the bodies, it had to be the throwing knife Ye Yuexin had just sheathed.

Given that speed, that decisiveness, and Ye Yuexin's age, it seemed he was yet another Konoha genius.

And he appeared to be an even greater genius than the three currently being surrounded.

Facing such speed, even he had to take things seriously.

This was an incredibly frustrating situation; other nations also wanted to demand an explanation from Konoha, questioning why their village could produce a never-ending stream of geniuses.

The other Rock Village ninjas didn't think that far ahead; beyond their shock, they felt mostly rage.

Because the two who had died were comrades who had shared meals with them at the border.

They all gritted their teeth as they glared at Ye Yuexin, waiting for Tugang to give the order so they could swarm him and hack him to death.

Hearing Obito Uchiha say this, Ye Yuexin's opinion of him improved slightly.

He smiled and said, "You guys go first, leave this to me. Rin Nohara and the others have already gone to fetch reinforcements."

"Head straight back now; at your current speed, you should run into them just about right." Seeing Kakashi's wound, Ye Yuexin was also taken aback.

Because this was no ordinary injury; it looked as if someone had run a sword straight through him.

Being so close to the heart, only someone like Kakashi could still be standing; anyone else would have likely lost consciousness and been on the verge of death by now.

"Yuexin, you..."

"Carry Kakashi and go, now."

"We..."

"Don't forget that Rin is waiting for you." Ye Yuexin cut off both of Obito Uchiha's attempts to speak.

Ye Yuexin hated this kind of moment the most.

He wasn't stupid; why would he come here just to throw his life away?

He was only here because he was confident in his ability to escape, and he wanted to take the opportunity to test the gap between himself and an elite jonin now that his footwork had reached mastery.

Perhaps noticing Ye Yuexin's gaze, Kakashi's eyes were filled with conflict.

But in the end, he yielded to the retreat under Ye Yuexin's firm, unwavering stare.

Seeing Kakashi and the others preparing to leave, the remaining Rock Village ninjas immediately prepared to strike.

It wouldn't be that simple.

"Bang!"

The nearest Rock Village ninja suddenly collapsed to the ground without warning.

A throwing knife was lodged firmly in his neck.

No one had seen how Ye Yuexin made his move. For a moment, everyone froze in their tracks.

Tugang, meanwhile, became even more cautious.

Given his own strength, he had only caught the motion of Ye Yuexin waving his hand.

As for how the throwing knife had struck, he hadn't seen it either.

But for these Rock Village chunin, Ye Yuexin's throwing knives were an absolute death sentence.

Whenever Ye Yuexin made a move, there was no chance these chunin could dodge.

Between the time it took to return and the time spent with Might Guy and the others, Ye Yuexin had finally recovered half of his chakra, giving him a bit more confidence.

"Yuexin, when you get back, let's go eat barbecue together."

Seeing the elusive, ghost-like strength Ye Yuexin displayed, Obito Uchiha's face, which had been downcast from the feeling of abandoning Ye Yuexin, showed a hint of surprise.

"You must come back."

That was what Genma Shiranui said.

Kakashi said nothing, but beyond the surprise in his eyes, there was even more concern.

"From this moment on, before I fall, anyone who crosses this line will surely die."

Ye Yuexin drew a line with his foot, his voice brimming with dominance.

At the same time, a throwing knife flashed into his hand once more.

Looking at the knife that had suddenly appeared at Ye Yuexin's fingertips and the one that had vanished from their teammate's neck, all the Rock Village chunin felt a surge of dread. Including Tugang, there were only five of them left.

"Take him down first," Tugang ordered at that moment.

"Attack together! He can only throw one knife at a time."

[New book is out... I suggest you "add to library"... wait for it to grow before binging. I need your support... thank you everyone.]