Daiki's eyes, once filled with enthusiasm, now appeared dim, like someone who has just witnessed the destruction of the world.
Half of Daiki's body seemed to be submerged in the dark ocean, as if he could no longer control his body.
However, there was something deeper than mere fear.
Daiki was not truly sinking due to a loss of control; he was deliberately doing so, pretending to be weak, pretending to be desperate.
All of this was part of Daini's larger plan.
Daiki knew that even though he felt scared and cornered, if he could escape, he would bring valuable information back to Sunagakure.
That was Daiki's ticket to gaining praise and recognition from the Kazekage.
Even though every fiber of Daiki's being felt an overwhelming sense of despair, he continued to pretend to be sinking, as if it were the best choice he could make.
Daiki was well aware that if he escaped and reported Reiji's extraordinary abilities, he would be seen as a hero.
Although Daiki would have to pay a high price, losing his dignity as a leader who should protect his subordinates.
However, Daiki was also acutely aware that this choice could make him appear as a coward, someone who abandoned his comrades.
Nevertheless, with Reiji's terrifying power, Daiki felt it was better to be seen as a coward than to die in a more horrific way at the hands of someone like Reiji.
Where Daiki could have surrendered and raised his hands, but with his great ego, he chose not to give up so easily.
The honor and pride that would come from surviving were far more valuable to Daiki than risking his life in such an easy manner.
At that moment, Daiki was watching the choppy surface of the sea, where ninjas from the three great villages stood in a suffocating silence.
Though it seemed calm, the tension in the air was thick, and Daiki could not suppress the horror that enveloped him.
The fear crept slowly, like a cold fog seeping into his bones.
Daiki realized how terrifying Reiji's power was—how unimaginable the destructive force that had just been unleashed.
Many ninjas had fallen, their bodies no longer moving, and their blood flowed so profusely that it turned the surrounding sea a deep red.
The ocean, usually blue, now looked like a giant bowl filled with blood, shaken by currents and fragments of despair.
One of the leaders of the attacking group had even been killed, cut down in a flash by Reiji, who was nearly invisible.
Tatsuya, the leader of Iwagakure, still stood tall on the turbulent water's surface, as if challenging the storm with the remnants of his authority.
On the other hand, the leader of Kirigakure was no more—fallen at Reiji's hands in an instant.
Now, only two leaders remained.
And Daiki, standing in the midst of a battlefield stained with death, felt increasingly cornered, as if trapped in a chilling solitude.
Below, the ocean stretched wide, rolling with a power that seemed ready to swallow Daiki whole.
Yet, Daiki knew he did not need to drown in that feeling.
Behind the emptiness that enveloped him, there was honor and recognition waiting, as the only one who managed to survive all the dangers that threatened.
That was what was on Daiki's mind—an acknowledgment that would come, though hollow, yet undeniable.
However, what Daiki did not know was that Reiji, with his extraordinarily sharp observational skills, was monitoring every movement closely.
Nothing escaped Reiji's attention, not even the smallest detail—including Daiki.
Without warning, as if time momentarily stopped for Reiji, he vanished from his spot and appeared behind Daiki, his movement so swift that it was beyond imagination.
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[Announcement: A New Novel Has Been Added!
The Puppet Maker in the World of Naruto
A man who is a scientist, researcher, and expert mechanic in robotics dies in a massive explosion that occurs in his laboratory while developing an advanced robot project. However, instead of experiencing death as he thought, the man awakens in another world—a strange place with vast stretches of desert.
There, the man is surrounded by people who can jump high, calling themselves ninjas. The confusion he initially felt grows as he realizes that this world is not unfamiliar to him. This is the world of Naruto! However, there is one thing that surprises him.
"Isn't this Sunagakure? Why am I not in Konoha? This poorest village... Oh my God, this is serious!"
Now, in the midst of a new life filled with danger and uncertainty, the scientist must find a way to survive in Sunagakure, a harsh place full of limitations. With his robotic knowledge, can the man change his fate in this ninja world, or will he fall along with the village?]
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