Etched into Tobirama's Heart
"Never met him before, no matter which family he belongs to, I'll annihilate him!" The burly ninja impatiently brushed aside his companion's hand, then his gaze sharpened like a knife as he glared menacingly at Koki: "Boy, quickly state your name!"
Koki raised an eyebrow slightly, his throwing motion of the pebble suddenly froze, and in an instant, he swiftly struck out, accurately grasping the pebble in his palm, his power gathering like thunder at his fingertips.
Immediately, his arm swung like the wind, and the pebble, carrying the force of thunder, slammed viciously into the Shuriken on the ground.
With a deafening clang, the shockwave was clearly visible, and the Shuriken was sent flying into the air by the violent force.
In that split second, Koki's eyes turned cold and sharp, as if freezing the surrounding air. His figure roared out, and wherever he passed, grass clippings followed the wind and dust flew up like a tornado.
The three ninjas, who were already wary of Koki, were stunned by his sudden and overwhelming aura. They stood there dumbfounded, unable to move for a moment.
A moment later, he seemed to wake from a dream, frantically took out Kunai from the cloth bag at his waist, and threw them wildly at Koki.
With a Koki step, Koki nimbly flipped through the air, his wrist flicking, and the Shuriken pierced the heart of the ninja who had forced him to reveal his name.
"Pfft!" Blood spurted out like a fountain. The ninja stared in disbelief, his face still showing shock, before collapsing straight to the ground.
Witnessing Koki effortlessly kill a ninja, the remaining two felt a chill run down their spines, a coldness rising from their feet to their hearts.
Before they could fully recover from their shock, Koki had already landed in front of them like a shadow. Without the slightest hesitation, he kicked one of them, and then quickly followed up with his other foot, kicking both of them hard.
"Bang! Bang!" Two dull thuds echoed as the two men were kicked away.
Their bodies rolled on the ground, raising dust and making a "rustling" sound as they rubbed against the ground.
They finally stopped a few meters away, both disheveled and exhausted, but they had no time to care about their injuries. Struggling to their feet, they looked at each other and roared in unison, "Earth Release: Rock Formation Wall!"
As soon as they finished speaking, the earth began to tremble violently, and a deafening "boom!" resounded through the sky. Two jagged giant rocks burst forth from the ground and pierced the clouds.
The towering rock, its surface studded with sharp spikes, surged toward Koki with unparalleled ferocity under the influence of Ninjutsu, ravaging everything in its path and tearing deep cracks into the earth.
Koki merely narrowed her eyes slightly, a hint of interest flashing in them.
Just as the giant rock was about to collide with Koki, he swayed, leaped up lightly, and landed precisely on the giant rock like a wisp of wind.
His feet were as firm as a rock, as if they grew from the same root as the giant rock, and he remained unmoved no matter how the rock shook.
Immediately, Koki began to run across the giant rock, speeding along the rock's ridgeline like an unstoppable bolt of lightning, heading straight for the two casters.
"He's coming towards us!" The two casters' expressions changed drastically, and they tried to retreat in terror.
Just as their eyes were fixed on the ever-approaching figure of Koki, his figure suddenly vanished without a trace, leaving only an empty space and the two out-of-control giant rocks as they continued their journey.
"He... disappeared?" Their eyes were filled with shock, and their gazes met with deep fear and confusion.
A cold, icy voice suddenly rang out from behind. "If even a glance cannot follow..."
The two turned around in fear, and several flashes of cold light streaked past as a number of sharp blades pierced their hearts with pinpoint accuracy.
Blood gushed out like a fountain, staining their clothes red.
In the final chapter of their lives, they heard their last words. "You are not worthy to know my name."
Koki didn't even glance at the two fallen figures. He calmly brushed the dust from the battle off his clothes, then turned and left, leaving behind two gradually cooling corpses.
Tobirama, who witnessed the entire battle, stood frozen in place.
His heart pounded rapidly, as if gripped tightly by an invisible hand, and sweat dripped down his fingers, yet he seemed oblivious to it.
It was just a brief moment of battle, without dazzling techniques or flashy Ninjutsu, but Koki's fighting figure was forever etched in Tobirama's heart.