Opening Eyes (Part 1)

In the southwest of the Land of Rain stood a "peaceful" town that the flames of war had yet to fully reach.

Of course, that "peace" was only relative to the other towns in the Land of Rain.

After all, the Ninja World War had been raging for two full years, and the Land of Rain could practically be said to have been completely ravaged.

Even though this place was far from the several battlefields within the Land of Rain, many residents had still chosen to abandon their homes and flee elsewhere.

As a result, quite a few houses in town had been left vacant.

And Yin Jie was currently resting quietly in one such empty house, recuperating.

He had found this town three days ago.

Over the past three days, using the scattered bits of silver he had found in an abandoned town, he had enjoyed several hearty meals here.

His injuries, too, were not far from a complete recovery.

Rain fell from the sky like silver threads, weaving a dense curtain of water.

In the houses that still had residents who had not yet fled, dim yellow light shone through, hazy within the rain and mist.

Night quietly descended amid the pattering rain.

Yet tonight was destined to be a noisy one...

"Aaaah!!!"

A sudden scream instantly shattered the town's previously peaceful silence.

"Boom!!!"

What followed was rising firelight and a violent explosion.

The Hidden Sand ninja's slaughter of the town's residents had begun!!!

At the same time, Yin Jie, who had been lying in bed recovering, abruptly opened his eyes. Instinctively, he grabbed the kunai beside him and stared warily out the window.

"What's going on...?"

Yin Jie tightened his grip on the kunai, a trace of panic rising in his heart.

Although he knew that, in the missing memories from before he was six, he had likely already been a ninja with a certain degree of strength.

And although, over the past few days, he had relied on the residual "instincts" of his body to roughly figure out how to better use the chakra within him.

In the end, he was only a six-year-old boy who had never experienced battle.

If he faced a real ninja now, even the lowest-ranking genin, he would most likely end up getting flattened...

Yin Jie kept taking deep breaths, trying to forcibly calm himself down.

Since things had come to this, then he could only...

But just then.

"Oh? There's actually a child hiding here!"

A cold voice filled with mockery suddenly reached Yin Jie's ears, instantly stiffening his body.

At the same time came the sound of the door being smashed apart.

"A Hidden Sand ninja..."

Seeing the hourglass symbol on the other man's forehead protector reflecting beneath the lightning, Yin Jie's heart sank, and a wave of despair swept over him in an instant.

Silent lightning lit up the night sky.

The Hidden Sand ninja who had broken through the door wore a twisted, sickly smile.

Though this was not his first time preying upon civilians, he still enjoyed the thrill of this "hunt."

His gaze first fell upon the kunai clenched in Yin Jie's hand. Then he slowly approached, rolling his neck and wrists as a strange, sinister "heh heh heh" laugh escaped his mouth.

"Oh! A little ninja, are you!"

"But don't worry! I'll be gentle!"

The Hidden Sand ninja's voice was full of ridicule.

After all, he came from the Hidden Sand Village, one of the Five Great Ninja Villages, and he was also a veteran genin who had "seen countless battles."

So he did not believe for a moment that some civilian child from a backward little country like the Land of Rain could pose any threat to him.

But to Yin Jie, the Hidden Sand ninja's threats and taunts caused the emotions he had only just forced down to spiral out of control.

Damn it!!!

Yin Jie roared madly in his heart.

Before the threat of death, his heartbeat accelerated, and the blood in his body seemed to boil. His black eyes filled with fury and unwillingness, while a faint scarlet flash flickered through them and vanished.

He had yet to recover the memories from before he was six.

He had yet to properly experience the Naruto World, which had only been an anime in his previous life.

He had yet to use his advantage of foresight to stand at the very peak of the ninja world and see the view from its summit.

So how could he simply sit and wait for death in the face of such desperation!

Even if he could not escape death in the end, he would knock a few teeth out of this damned Hidden Sand ninja before he died!

And so.

Yin Jie moved!

The chakra within his body erupted in an instant, regardless of the strain on his body!

He stepped forward sharply, pushed off the ground, and leapt into the air. With kunai in hand, he thrust straight for the Hidden Sand ninja's throat!

"Heh..."

Seeing Yin Jie's clumsy attack, riddled with openings, the Hidden Sand ninja's lips immediately curled into a delighted, wicked smile.

Yin Jie's childish face, along with that expression that seemed to him like nothing more than impotent rage, made every cell in his body tremble with excitement!

A civilian!

Nothing but fish on the chopping block!

With a sidestep, the Hidden Sand ninja easily avoided the thrust, then raised his hand and grabbed directly for Yin Jie's wrist.

Yet, to the Hidden Sand ninja's surprise, his sure catch missed!

The instant his thrust was evaded, Yin Jie's body reacted as though guided by an instinct forged through countless training sessions. Swiftly and naturally, he adjusted his move in time.

His wrist turned slightly, and the forward thrust instantly became a fierce horizontal slash that continued toward the Hidden Sand ninja's throat without losing momentum!

"Pointless struggle!"

The Hidden Sand ninja was startled at first, but immediately snorted coldly.

His arm suddenly flipped, and his palm precisely and forcefully braced the kunai from behind. His five fingers clenched tight, ignoring the blood spilling out and the pain of his flesh being cut as he seized the kunai firmly.

At the same time, a bloodthirsty killing intent flashed through the Hidden Sand ninja's eyes. He gave up on continuing to toy with Yin Jie and prepared to end him right there.

Without any unnecessary movements, the Hidden Sand ninja suddenly exerted force with the hand gripping the kunai, twisting and pulling backward. At the same time, he raised his leg and delivered a heavy kick to Yin Jie's abdomen!

"Die!!!"