Puff!
Blood droplets swayed in the wind before slowly falling to the ground.
Yuichi landed lightly, turning as he touched the earth. Fresh blood slid down the edge of the kunai in his hand.
Shock!
The Sand Shinobi stared at Yuichi in horror, their eyes already dull with fear.
A cold wind swept through, carrying the strong, metallic scent of blood.
They looked at Baki's body lying lifeless on the ground, and their own bodies trembled uncontrollably.
A mere Konoha Genin… had appeared out of nowhere.
And in a single, impossible movement, he had slain their Elite Jōnin, Baki.
Too fast. Too monstrous.
If even Baki couldn't withstand him, what chance did they have?
They wanted to flee, yet the moment Yuichi's eyes fell upon them, their bodies stiffened as though bound by invisible chains.
It wasn't control—just pure, overwhelming fear.
Sweat slid down their cheeks. Their palms went clammy, every hair on their body standing on end.
The air itself grew heavy, pressing down on them until even breathing felt difficult.
Their hearts pounded like war drums, threatening to burst from their chests.
Yuichi, however, remained expressionless, his gaze seemingly fixed on the terrified Sand Shinobi.
In truth, he was looking at the translucent system interface before his eyes.
An Elite Jōnin from the Sand is considered a character, but the reward isn't very impressive.
[Host has slain Sand Shinobi Elite Jōnin Baki]
[Received: Character Ending Reward]
[Please choose]
[1. Accept the character ending reward: Gain some of the character's abilities and ninjutsu]
[2. Abandon the character ending reward: Gain one chance to upgrade an existing ninjutsu]
Baki's ninjutsu and skills weren't worth much.
Option two.
[Congratulations! Host has obtained a chance to upgrade a ninjutsu.]
This reward was far more useful. If Yuichi had a technique too difficult to master, this could forcefully raise its level.
But there was no need to use it yet.
"Yuichi!!"
A thunderous roar ripped through the air.
Yuichi, still focused on the system, frowned slightly before turning.
Asuma stood beside Baki's corpse, glaring at him with furious eyes.
"What are you doing? Why did you kill him? Didn't you hear? He said the Sand was seeking to negotiate with Konoha! Do you realize the consequences of your actions?"
Asuma had never liked Yuichi, and now his anger spilled out unchecked.
In his mind, Yuichi's victory was nothing but a lucky sneak attack. Baki had been speaking with him, his guard lowered. That was the only reason a Genin could kill an Elite Jōnin.
But in truth—
Even if Baki had been in peak condition, Yuichi's flawless Body Flicker, enhanced with the Dead Bone Pulse, made his speed unstoppable. His Body Flicker required no seals, and his physical strength soared beyond normal limits.
Without preparation, even an Elite Jōnin could only die instantly before him.
While Yuichi turned his gaze on Asuma, the Sand Shinobi in front of them saw their chance.
In a flash, three Jōnin and one Chūnin bolted in different directions, scattering into the forest.
Asuma stiffened. Yuichi only smiled faintly.
That smile sent a chill crawling up Asuma's spine, straight into the back of his head.
"He's not thinking of—"
Before Asuma could finish the thought, Yuichi vanished. His figure blurred into an afterimage and disappeared.
Almost at the same instant, the fleeing Chūnin leapt through the trees—only to scream as crimson blood arced from his back.
The droplets traced a perfect parabola through the air, splattering across the trunk of a nearby giant tree.
Asuma's eyes widened. What speed is this? It's on par with Might Guy when he opens the Sixth Gate…
Yet Yuichi had opened no Gates, performed no obvious ninjutsu. He simply moved—faster than thought.
A cold flash. Another spray of blood.
One Jōnin stared in disbelief as Yuichi appeared before him, pain tearing through his left shoulder where blood gushed uncontrollably.
Only two Sand Jōnin remained.
Barely two seconds had passed.
Their hearts thundered as they realized the truth:
They weren't fighting a human. They were being hunted by a ghost.
One of them felt a sting across his throat as a shallow line of blood appeared. Before he could react, Yuichi spun gracefully mid-air, his kick propelling him toward the last fleeing shinobi.
Chakra surged, exploding beneath his feet like a bomb, hurling him forward. The wind howled in his ears as his target grew closer—
—but his eyes narrowed.
From the left, a black blur streaked toward him, cutting across his predicted path.
Ding!
Yuichi's kunai clashed against the incoming strike, sparks bursting into the night. His momentum halted as he skidded against a tree trunk, parallel to the ground.
His coat swayed loosely over his chest.
The last Sand Jōnin fled desperately, turning back with wide, haunted eyes.
In just three seconds, he had witnessed hell itself.
That speed… it wasn't human.
Konoha has another speed demon!
Names of legends flashed through his mind—then one more joined them.
The Genin of Konoha… Yuichi.
With a frantic cry, he vanished into the distance, fleeing for his life.
The battlefield stank of blood.
On the ground below, Asuma stared upward, his face pale.
Yuichi hung suspended against the trunk, calm eyes glinting with faint killing intent.