After repeatedly luring out and killing Giant Wolves, few wolves remained in the forest. They seemed to have grown much smarter, ignoring the traps the players laid.
Whenever they encountered players, they turned tail and ran, too fast to catch.
The players did not mind, though. After several straight days of grinding monsters, everyone's contribution points had reached four digits.
That was enough to buy plenty of chakra energy, and the players were more than satisfied.
Now that a new quest had appeared, they were all thrilled and hurried to spend every contribution point they had on chakra.
As an experienced gaming streamer, Dai Xiaomei looked at the quest and murmured, "This quest actually has a hidden reward. We've never had anything like that since we entered the game.
"What do you think the hidden reward will be? If we complete it as a team, will it go to whoever deals the most damage, or will everyone get it?"
Her question silenced all the players, but just a few seconds later, they became lively again.
Emperor of Sinking said, "This game is so fun I'd play it even without rewards. Who cares what the hidden reward is? I'm going to kill that enemy first."
Raijin said, "Exactly. Sneaking into our village is a provocation in itself. There's no way I'm letting him leave in one piece today."
"I don't care what the reward is either. It's a game-the experience is what matters most!" Bullfighting Master added.
One Sword Opens Heaven said nothing, but he did not seem concerned about the hidden reward either.
The other players were not particularly bothered about it, either.
"I was just curious," Dai Xiaomei said, rubbing her nose awkwardly.
She had only asked to give her viewers something to discuss. She had not expected everyone to be so unconcerned, though she did not care all that much herself.
As long as the game was fun, that was enough. She gave it no further thought, buying chakra alongside the other players while chatting with her viewers.
Just then, Ye Chen suddenly appeared.
Everyone was already used to the NPC appearing out of thin air. Some of the more outgoing players even teased him.
"What brings you here, mighty NPC?"
"Is there a new quest you need to explain to us?"
"Then hurry up! We're itching to kill that enemy!"
Ye Chen nodded. "I'm here to remind you that the enemy you're facing this time is very powerful. He's more than one level above you.
"You need a complete plan. Otherwise, charging in recklessly will only get you killed.
"Besides marking Youzhi's location for you, I've also placed a mark on the left side of his chest. That way, even if he transforms, you'll recognize him immediately.
"That's all I can do to help. The rest is up to you. Good luck!"
"Thanks, NPC, but you're worrying for nothing. We're practically invincible already!"
The players did not take Ye Chen's words to heart. After all, they had killed Giant Wolves over two meters tall. Dealing with one measly ninja would be a piece of cake.
Looking at the confident players, Ye Chen said nothing more. He had given them all the warnings he needed to. What they did next was up to them.
Besides, he had no need to worry about their safety. They could revive endlessly, losing only ten percent of their chakra.
With a flash of light, Ye Chen vanished from everyone's sight.
"I bought nine hundred contribution points' worth of chakra. That should be enough to deal with that ninja called Dimwit... uh, no, Youzhi.
"Come along, my darlings, and watch how the mighty, invincible Dai Xiaomei takes a ninja's head!"
Dai Xiaomei headed toward the village with the other players while chatting with her viewers, happily juggling both activities.
Meanwhile, Youzhi was still wandering around the village, complaining one moment about its rough roads and the next about its outdated facilities, which were nowhere near as developed as those of Kusagakure. He had no idea he was already being watched.
He grumbled as he walked:
"Damn it!"
"This trash heap of a village wasted an entire day of my time!"
"Absolutely unforgivable! How could a dump like this possibly have any ninjas?"
As Youzhi cursed, several dark figures suddenly appeared ahead of him, enveloping him in an oppressive presence!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several sounds of rushing air rang out.
Youzhi looked up and saw several dark figures appear before him.
His brows furrowed, and he instantly lowered his stance, preparing to attack.
The keen combat instincts he had honed over the years alerted him to a grave danger.
This is bad!
At the sight of Emperor of Sinking and the other eight, Youzhi's heart sank.
Facing so many ninjas, Youzhi braced himself for a formidable enemy. He had never imagined that a shabby little mountain village would have this many ninjas. It was completely beyond his expectations.
How had this village trained ninjas without anyone noticing?
Why had no one discovered them before?
Question after question surfaced in Youzhi's mind.
Youzhi had no time to dwell on them. He knew he was about to face the most difficult moment of his life.
The appearance of these ninjas proved that the Hidden Jun Village really was a ninja village.
Information this significant would have warranted sending even a Jonin, yet he was only a Genin.
I'm definitely done for!
At that moment, Youzhi had already steeled himself to face death bravely.
Yet he could not accept it. He remembered the lover he had just met at the brothel.
Sadly, he would soon never see any of it again.
What Youzhi found most unsettling was that he did not even know when his cover had been blown.
Surely, that had to be a sign of their formidable methods.
"Charge!"
Bullfighting Master shouted.
Then he leaped high into the air. "Eight Extremes Collapse!"
He channeled every bit of chakra in his body into his limbs and bones.
As the chakra flowed through him, unprecedented energy erupted within Bullfighting Master's body.
In an instant, Bullfighting Master thrust out his palm!
A series of cracking sounds rang out. His palm seemed to become a wing of steel, hurtling toward Youzhi with unstoppable force.
Youzhi knitted his brows, bracing for a powerful foe. "Taijutsu?"
At the same time, Emperor of Sinking and the others formed hand seals and launched their attacks.
[Lightning Release: Lightning Technique!]
[Earth Release: Rock and Soil Technique!]
[Wind Release: Wind Summoning Technique!]
[Fire Release: Fire Control Technique!]
[Water Release: Water Control Technique!]
For a moment, chakra of five different elements filled the area, all surging toward Youzhi at once.
Youzhi's heart pounded violently. He could almost see the miserable fate awaiting him.
But...
After seeing Emperor of Sinking's attack, Youzhi suddenly paused. Then the tension in his heart gradually began to ease.
His expression shifted from panic to calm, then even... joy, before finally turning into utter mockery.
His face went through a whole range of expressions!
Yes, mockery!
He had realized that although Emperor of Sinking's group numbered nine, they were weak. Extremely weak.
Judging solely from the ninjutsu they had unleashed, they were not even Genin. They were no different from students who had yet to graduate from the Ninja Academy...
"So they're just a bunch of trash!"
Deep contempt appeared on Youzhi's face.
Then he formed hand seals. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
With a roar, an intensely hot flame appeared at Youzhi's lips.
Fueled by his chakra, the flame grew larger and larger, hurtling toward the nine people before him.
In an instant, the scorching flames reduced Bullfighting Master, who was charging at the front, to ashes.
Emperor of Sinking followed close behind and could not escape the same tragic fate.
In just a single exchange, five players died at his hands.
Before you continue