The seawater was cool, but not freezing.
Mishu stretched his limbs, adopting a smooth, energy-efficient stroke to quickly swim toward the island. He was only a dozen meters away from the shoreline and would reach it in moments, all while warily observing his surroundings.
As expected, in his peripheral vision, Mishu spotted a figure stepping directly across the sea surface, rushing straight toward him.
A Bloodline Limit ninja, Mishu noted calmly.
The approaching youth had short black hair, and a thick mist faintly swirled around his body, trailing over the water.
Mishu remembered the boy was named Okui Atsushi, a scion of a ninja clan possessing a specialized Bloodline Limit. However, since they were not in the same class, Mishu didn't fully understand the specifics of his abilities.
"Hahaha! Mishu, I know you—you're a very arrogant guy!" Okui Atsushi yelled, his voice carrying over the waves. "Now I'll let you know what true strength is!"
Atsushi had absolutely no intention of waiting until they reached the island to fight. He was fully prepared to eliminate his enemy right here in the open water.
After all, his ability to walk on water gave him a massive tactical advantage against a swimming opponent.
He wasn't the only one with this idea. Nearby, several other clan heirs capable of water-walking had also begun their hunts. Agonized screams echoed across the waves, and crimson blood began to bloom across the sea surface.
Seeing the opponent's arrogant, wide-open demeanor, Mishu only glanced at him. He completely ignored the taunt, instead increasing his swimming pace toward the sandy shore.
"Damn it, you dare to ignore me?!"
Seeing himself dismissed so casually, Atsushi became enraged. He rapidly formed hand seals. The mist swirling around his body instantly condensed into five sharp, spinning shuriken, which he launched mercilessly toward Mishu's back.
Hearing the sharp sound of air tearing behind him, Mishu dove sharply beneath the surface. The mist-formed shuriken hit the water harmlessly, instantly dissolving back into pale blue liquid.
At this moment, Mishu was only three to five meters from the beach. The water had become very shallow. Bursting from the surf, Mishu leaped lightly onto the dry sand.
As soon as his boots touched the ground, Mishu rolled sideways.
He flawlessly dodged another volley of shuriken attacking from behind and stood up, looking at Atsushi, who had just jumped ashore to pursue him.
"The exam has only just begun," Mishu said smoothly. "There's no need for us to fight desperately right now."
Seeing Mishu easily evade his attacks twice, Atsushi felt deeply humiliated. Hearing Mishu's somewhat cowardly attempt at a truce, the clan heir assumed he held a massive advantage. He had no desire to let his prey go.
"Die!"
Atsushi formed hand seals, consuming a large amount of chakra. Dozens of shuriken materialized from the mist surrounding him, shooting toward Mishu in a wide arc, completely locking down his movement.
Mishu saw that the attack's range was too wide. With projectiles coming from the front, left, and right, he seemingly had no choice but to leap high into the air to evade.
"A perfect opportunity!" Atsushi cheered.
He was overjoyed when he saw Mishu jump. While the open air seemed safe, it was actually a trap he had intentionally set.
"Water Release: Water Whip!"
Atsushi formed another seal. A thick, sluggish whip of water condensed from the mist, shooting upward and wrapping tightly around Mishu's ankle at extreme speed.
With a vicious tug, Atsushi slammed Mishu out of the air and heavily onto the ground. He then rushed forward, taking advantage of the boy's instability to plunge a kunai directly into his chest.
"Finished!"
This brief fight had consumed a large amount of Atsushi's chakra, but he felt it was entirely worth it. He had effortlessly killed a famous academy genius. Next, he would start hunting the weaker prey one after another.
Atsushi was deeply immersed in his pleasant fantasy when he suddenly noticed something horrifying.
Mishu's "corpse" began to melt, turning into a pool of clear seawater that soaked into the sand.
A Water Clone?! Before Atsushi could even turn around, the real Mishu materialized right behind him.
With a flawless, horizontal slash of his short sword, Mishu cleanly severed the boy's head from his shoulders.
Throughout the entire battle, Mishu had only expended a tiny fraction of his stamina while swimming, and a sliver of chakra to cast a single Water Clone. His physical condition was still absolutely perfect.
With a light, practiced flick of his wrist, Mishu flung the blood off his blade. He looked around at the tree line.
"Do the rest of you want to die as well?"
Several students hiding nearby, who had intended to ambush the victor, looked at Atsushi's headless corpse, and then at Mishu's terrifyingly calm expression. They quietly retreated back into the shadows.
It had only just begun; there was no need to fight a monster to the death on the beach. Even if they somehow won, the excessive chakra consumption would leave them vulnerable to other scavengers.
Seeing the beach clear, Mishu sheathed his sword and charged toward the dense forest.
Entering the treeline, the chaotic sounds of the beach vanished, replaced by tall, looming trees, thick vines, and moss-covered rocks. There were no human figures in sight.
This did not mean safety. The forest would soon be littered with lethal traps.
Mishu jumped onto a high branch and looked at the sun through the canopy, judging the time and direction.
It's noon now. I have to survive here for five more days. I must find a defensible stronghold.
He analyzed the island's topography. The hills in the center resemble a saddle, slightly higher on both sides. Logically, securing the commanding height would allow me to survey the entire battlefield and detect enemies early. It's the best tactical location.
However, many of the smartest students will have the exact same idea. Occupying the high ground will definitely require fierce fighting and carries a relatively high risk.
Mishu thought for a moment. This was merely a student practical exam. If he actively dodged every potential conflict now, he would be completely helpless when facing the corpse-strewn battlefields of the true Ninja World.
Fine then. I'll carve my way through thoroughly, Mishu decided, his eyes turning cold. It will not only hone my combat instincts but also attract the attention of the village higher-ups. Kyosuke and the others are out there being ambitious; I can't be a coward.
Having made up his mind, Mishu continuously leaped forward through the branches, heading straight toward the eastern hills.
After traveling for about an hour, Mishu ascended the continuous incline. The terrain grew steeper, the giant rocks more numerous, and the tall trees slightly sparser.
Suddenly, Mishu leaped onto a large boulder and stopped dead in his tracks.
There were absolutely no bird songs nearby. The area was dead silent.
An ambush. Mishu secretly heightened his vigilance, scanning the surrounding shadows and silently plotting a retreat route if the fight went south.
After a long moment, perhaps realizing Mishu had already spotted their trap, the ambushing party walked out into the open.
There were three of them in total. The leader was an arrogant-looking youth with short green hair, and the two boys flanking him were clearly his subordinates.
The green-haired youth sized up Mishu and chuckled mockingly. "Heh heh. Truly a genius among commoners. You actually dared to come alone to the commanding height of the hills. But this is where your luck ends. Meeting me is your greatest misfortune."
Mishu thought for a moment, tilting his head. "You're from the Kurosuki Clan, right? What's your name again? I can't quite recall."
He drew his short sword, the steel ringing sharply in the quiet clearing. "But it doesn't matter. The names of the dead are entirely worthless."
"What an arrogant peasant!" The green-haired youth was instantly enraged by Mishu's dismissive attitude. "You two! Hurry up and kill him for me! Do this, and I will ensure you survive this exam!"