Escalating the Conflict

Shinbu Kosuke's legs trembled, his eyes unfocused.

Regret, guilt, and fear of death filled his heart.

"I'm sorry. I dragged you into this. I'll hold them off. You two find a way to escape!"

Shinomiya Takuto cut him off coldly. "Escape? None of you are getting away. Kill them all!"

Water Release: Water Flow Whip!

Fire Release: Fire Sky Bullet!

Wind Release: Piercing Sky Blade!

A barrage of Ninjutsu rained down on Lu Zeming and the other two.

Shinbu Kosuke raised an Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall to block it, but his strength was limited. Against so many attacks, the wall lasted less than two seconds before it broke. A whip of water struck him and sent him flying.

Mui fared no better. Even after using the Substitution Technique and Body Flicker Technique in quick succession, he could not dodge. A Piercing Sky Blade slashed his shoulder, leaving blood pouring from the wound.

Shinbu Kosuke tried to get up and unleash his finishing move, but his enemies gave him no chance to form the hand signs.

Two Shinomiya Ninja closed in and hammered him with Taijutsu, treating him like a punching bag.

Mui was trapped tight in a Water Prison, like a fish in a jar with no way out.

"Let's see you talk tough now!"

Shinomiya Takuto was about to gloat when he suddenly realized something.

"Wait. Where's that brat?"

Lu Zeming's voice came from behind him.

"I really don't get it. Why do you all have to shout out your Ninjutsu before using it? It's so over-the-top!"

Shinomiya Takuto's hair stood on end. He had no time to answer. He used the Body Flicker Technique to put some distance between them.

Lu Zeming was faster. He seized Takuto's wrist, yanked him back, twisted his arm, and slammed him down.

Boom! Shinomiya Takuto hit the ground with a crash and the crack of breaking bones. The earth split beneath him, and blood spilled from his nose and mouth.

Everyone there stared in disbelief.

No one had expected the arrogant Shinomiya Takuto to end up like this in the blink of an eye.

"Hey! Zoning out on a battlefield is dangerous!"

Before Lu Zeming's words had faded, he appeared behind the Ninja maintaining the Water Prison Technique. His blade flashed, and the man's upper body slid off at the waist, blood gushing out.

Freed, Mui fell to the ground and gulped down air.

"Damn it!"

Three Shinomiya Ninja charged Lu Zeming. He met them with his blade. Within three exchanges, two were dead, and the last staggered backward, clutching the stump of his severed arm.

In so little time, only five Shinomiya remained.

Anyone could see that Lu Zeming was far stronger than they were. The survivors had no heart left for a fight.

"Monster! He's a monster! Split up and run!"

The five threw Flash Bombs and fled in different directions.

Lu Zeming had no intention of letting them go. He gave chase almost at once.

The badly wounded Mui and Shinbu Kosuke were left staring blankly.

"What level do you think he is?"

"Jonin, at least!"

"A seven-year-old Jonin? My god!"

A little over ten minutes later, Lu Zeming returned looking rather dusty, dragging a string of corpses behind him.

"Man, an Explosive Tag nearly got me. Keeping the place clean is everyone's responsibility. Mui, you know Fire Release, so these bodies are yours!"

Mui gave a wry smile. Without another word, he used Ninjutsu to burn the bodies.

Lu Zeming walked over to Shinomiya Takuto, who still lay on the ground, unable to move a muscle.

"You can't kill me! My father is Shinomiya Eita. If you kill me, he'll tear you to pieces! I advise you to take me back. Do that, and I'll let this whole thing go!"

The kid's stupidity almost made Lu Zeming laugh.

"At this point, do you really think you're getting out alive?"

His blade fell, and Takuto's head came off. Disbelief was still etched across his face.

Lu Zeming tossed the head in front of Shinbu Kosuke.

"Here. What you wanted."

Ashamed and moved, Shinbu Kosuke worked his lips for a long time before finally managing two words.

"Thank you."

Lu Zeming, meanwhile, was thinking, If Shinomiya Takuto didn't die, how would the conflict between your families escalate?

And if it didn't escalate, how could I take advantage of the chaos?

Pushing those thoughts aside, Lu Zeming rubbed his hands together and headed for the backpacks piled into a small mound.

These were all spoils of war!

Explosive Tags +13; Shuriken +86; Kunai +31; Small Sealing Scrolls +3; Soldier Pills +24; Medical Kits +9; red flags +2; yellow flags +1; blue flags +3.

Lu Zeming picked up an Explosive Tag first and noticed that many of its Runes matched those on the Sealing Scrolls.

I need to find a chance to study these Runes properly. Maybe one day I can put together some kind of grand formation myself.

He picked up a Soldier Pill and sniffed it carefully.

Spinach juice, soybeans, sesame, a little Astragalus, Codonopsis, and honey. Seriously, that's it?

I thought it would be something impressive. What a rip-off. I could mash up something better with my feet.

Finally, Lu Zeming looked at the flags. The Shinomiya had sent three teams, which meant three unlucky teams had already lost their flags.

The exam's barely started, and three teams have already been robbed? This year's candidates are pretty weak.

"Zeming, what are you muttering about? Kosuke and I are badly hurt. We need to get out of here and find somewhere to recover!"

"You're hurt? Great! I can treat that. It's been so long since I had a patient, I almost forgot my old trade!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing. Let's find a place, and this miracle doctor will treat you!"

Two hours later.

"Zeming, I drank your medicine. Why do I feel hotter and hotter?"

"Hot? Ahem. That's normal. If you're hot enough to sweat, it means you're almost better!"

"Kosuke, why is your face turning red? Why is white smoke coming off your head?"

"I think I can see my great-grandmother!"

"You must miss her a lot. Mui, you're next!"

Lu Zemin turned toward Mui, who waved both hands and shrank back.

"Mine's just a small wound. It'll heal on its own!"

"A good kid doesn't avoid treatment. I'll give you a couple of needles to stop the bleeding."

Lu Zeming pinned Mui down and started inserting needles.

"No! Stay back! Ah! I thought you said you'd stop the bleeding. Why is there more of it?"

"Ahem. Who told you to move? That's your own fault. Be good and hold still. I'll try again!"

"Uh, uh, my face... I can't... move it!"

"Huh? That shouldn't happen. How did you end up paralyzed on one side? Wait, let me try a few other spots!"

"Please... leave me alone..."

In the Shinomiya estate in Kusagakure, Shinomiya Eita's face had darkened to its limit. A crystal ball sat before him.

The image in the crystal ball was frozen at the moment Shinomiya Takuto was beheaded.

"The Shinbu! Damn the Shinbu! Are you trying to start a Civil War?"

A masked Konoha Ninja sat across from Shinomiya Eita.

"To oppose the Shinomiya is to oppose Konoha. We can take care of these little problems for you right now."

Shinomiya Eita considered it for a moment, then shook his head. "They've gone too far, but they're still within the rules. I'll arrange the Third Exam and have Ryuga kill that Shinbu bastard in front of everyone."

"And what about this brat with the Shinbu?"

Shinomiya Eita glared at Lu Zeming's figure in the crystal ball through gritted teeth.

"A little bastard of unknown origin? I won't even let him live long enough to qualify for the Third Exam!"

The Konoha Ninja stretched, as though such trifles were beneath his concern.

"Fine. Those are minor matters. When is your Kusakage finally stepping down? He's been in power far too long."

At the mention of the Kusakage, Shinomiya Eita looked awkward.

"I've joined forces with several other families to pressure him. It'll be announced before the end of the year."

"Make sure you seize the opportunity. Our Hokage doesn't want Iwagakure's reach extending too far."

"All right. I understand."