Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Several shuriken tore through the air, aimed directly at Mishu's blind spots.
"Why is killing someone so incredibly troublesome?" Mishu muttered. Frowning, he had no choice but to sheath his blade and immediately retreat into the trees.
Only then did Rinko fully register what had just happened. Thinking back to the cold steel pressing against her throat, a violent chill ran down her spine.
In the past, relying on the doting affection of her clan elders and her own excellent talent, she had never encountered a peer who could actually kill her. She had never experienced the true, paralyzing fear of facing death. This overwhelming feeling left her entirely stunned, rendering her unable to counterattack in time.
Meanwhile, Mishu remained perfectly still in the shadows, entirely wary of the hidden attacker.
A figure dropped gracefully from the canopy, landing right beside Rinko. His short, stark white hair was instantly recognizable.
"Yo, Rinko! You almost died just now. I'm your savior, you know." The newcomer was a thin youth with a flamboyant smirk. "You should thank me properly. Why don't you marry me when you grow up?"
Mishu's eyes narrowed from the branches. He kept his guard up, fully aware of the boy's identity.
"Hozuki Naoto," Mishu said coldly. "Do you intend to make an enemy of me?"
Seeing the newcomer, Mishu's heart grew heavier. He began actively looking for an opportunity for a strategic retreat.
Naoto was a prominent member of the prestigious Hozuki Clan and one of Mishu's classmates. The Hozuki were infamous for their Water Release, especially their secret Hydrification Technique, which allowed them to turn their bodies into liquid to completely nullify physical attacks. This gave them a terrifying advantage against most ninja.
In a pure one-on-one fight, Mishu wasn't afraid of Naoto. However, taking on two elite clan heirs simultaneously carried a massive, unnecessary risk.
"No, no, no, I absolutely don't want to fight you," Naoto said, shaking his head and waving his hands defensively. "I still want to grow up and start a family. I'm just concerned about my lovely fiancée's safety."
By now, Rinko had regained her composure. She furiously spat at Naoto. "Pah! Stop dreaming! I'll never marry you!"
Then, Rinko looked back toward Mishu's hiding spot, the killing intent in her green eyes almost overflowing. "I will definitely kill you today!"
Mishu didn't back down at all, raising a mocking eyebrow. "With just the two of you? Heh. It's your honor to die by my blade."
Before his voice had even faded, Mishu launched a fierce attack, aiming directly at Rinko.
Not far away, two youths were hidden in the brush, completely stunned as they watched this scene unfold.
"How is that possible? Whether it's the Hozuki or her clan, they are both noble families with powerful Bloodline Limits. He has no chance of winning at all!"
"These guys with Bloodline Limits... the results of their one day of cultivation exceed our entire year of training. It's truly infuriating."
"Mishu is as good as dead. Should we make a move?"
"Heh, I've been annoyed with these arrogant clan kids for a long time. Of course we're moving in!"
These two youths were Takano Hiroshi and Takano Ishi. They were brothers, and also Mishu's classmates.
As the descendants of completely ordinary civilians, their innate talent and strength were very low. In a Ninja Academy that practiced brutal, iron-fisted policies, they were constantly subjected to cruel ridicule and violent oppression.
To this, they merely endured in silence and trained desperately. They didn't feel resentment, just a certain numbness. The strong prey on the weak; that was simply how the Bloody Mist operated.
However, one day after school, they had been severely beaten by a classmate from the Kaguya Clan, Kaguya Chuhei. They had fallen to the ground, supporting each other while enduring Chuhei's arrogant insults.
At that exact moment, a calm voice had rang out in the alleyway.
"Hey, you white-haired brat. I heard you wanted to challenge me. I'm free now, so I'll be generous and grant you a miserable defeat."
The newcomer had been Mishu.
Then followed a brutally one-sided battle. Kaguya Chuhei's limbs were all broken. The proud clan heir was left crawling on the ground like a pile of mud, his body twitching constantly.
"Tsk. I heard you Kaguya guys have tough bones, but you're nothing special. You're not even as good as dog bones."
Mishu had turned to leave the alleyway. His figure wasn't tall, but his shadow in the setting sun grew longer and longer, extending right to the feet of the Takano brothers.
They had never expected that a monster like Chuhei, who possessed a terrifying Bloodline Limit, could be toyed with so casually by Mishu right before their eyes.
"I heard his name is Mishu. He's an orphan and his father was just a civilian Genin. How can he be so powerful?"
"If only we were that strong..."
"Don't daydream, Ishi. If he really has a future in this village, it would be our greatest fortune to simply follow him—if he'd even have us."
From that day on, the Takano brothers paid close attention to Mishu's every move. Watching him defeat one noble clan child after another to become a shining star in the academy, their desire to join him grew stronger and stronger.
"Now is the best opportunity," Hiroshi whispered, pulling out a kunai. "We'll trade our loyalty for his protection. That's the only way we can survive this island."
"Go!"
Having made their decision, the Takano brothers broke cover and moved toward the battlefield.
At this time, Mishu was standing on a tree branch, his right hand gripping his blade while his left hand touched his chest.
There was a deep tear in the fabric over his chest, and a long gash had appeared in the flesh beneath. Blood stained his left hand red.
In the dozen or so seconds just now, both sides had engaged in a vicious melee. Mishu's combat principle had been simple: use an overwhelming offense as his absolute defense. He aimed a relentless assault entirely at Rinko, whose chakra was dangerously low.
Rinko's taijutsu was inferior to Mishu's, and she couldn't cast powerful ninjutsu to keep him away. Consequently, she was frequently in mortal danger, forcing Naoto to rescue her over and over, which completely ruined the pacing of Naoto's own attacks.
However, Rinko and Naoto's basic physical qualities were excellent. Combined with their elite clan education, their teamwork was incredibly strong. In a two-on-one situation, Mishu still faced several moments of peril, and a few shallow wounds had appeared on his body.
Having put enough pressure on the duo, Mishu decided it was the optimal time to leave.
He glanced at the bleeding wound on Rinko's arm, then at the slightly panting Naoto. He felt a bit unwilling in his heart.
The five of us reincarnators worked together in the dreamscape, yet I couldn't decisively crush two descendants of Ninja Clans—characters who didn't even have names in the anime, Mishu thought bitterly. Bloodline cheats really are something else.
"One last strike!" Mishu suddenly shouted. "Let me show you my strongest move!"
Mishu raised his short sword, putting on a terrifying show of bravado before preparing to vanish. Rinko and Naoto were deeply startled, not expecting Mishu to have a trump card left, and immediately went on full defensive alert.
Go! Mishu thought, ready to retreat.
Eh?! Who are they?!
A moment before Mishu bounded away, he heard a loud rustling. He snapped his head up and saw two familiar figures clumsily charging through the trees, aiming directly at Rinko and Naoto.
Their concealment and surprise attack techniques are absolute garbage, Mishu thought, bewildered. Are they trying to steal my kills? Could they be bait? Are there other enemies around?
Faced with the highly suspicious situation, Mishu decided to stay put in the canopy and observe to avoid falling into a trap.
Slightly slower than Mishu, Rinko and Naoto also discovered the new attackers. They felt a bit flustered, not knowing if this was part of Mishu's supposed 'ultimate move' arrangement.
"Go!" Naoto shouted.
With one sweeping slash, Naoto easily knocked away Takano Hiroshi, who had charged at him head-on. Then, without hesitating, Naoto threw a thick smoke bomb to the ground and, under the cover of the smog, grabbed Rinko and fled into the forest.