Natsume Yō had never stepped into the Forest of Death before. This was his first time.
Dense trees blotted out much of the sunlight, casting the forest into shadow. It felt eerie, oppressive—the kind of place normal people would never dare to enter. And yet, there was a strange stillness here, a peace that made Yō relax without meaning to. He liked it.
Because so few dared to intrude, the place had its own untouched ecosystem. The scenery, if you ignored the ominous silence, was almost beautiful.
Of course, a single careless bite from one of the venomous insects or snakes lurking here, and even Konoha's best medics wouldn't be able to save you.
"Hand over your scroll and I'll let you walk away alive!"
Yō wasn't surprised. Wandering so openly through the forest was basically inviting predators. Plenty of genin had already lost their scrolls this way.
"Oh? If I hand over my scroll, you'll let me go? But what if I said I don't have one? Would you let me walk away then?"
He smirked, pulling an apple from his pouch and biting into it lazily. "Or let's say I do have a scroll, but I just don't feel like giving it to you. What exactly can you do about that?"
"You're asking for death!" the enemy snapped. "Last warning—hand it over, or I'll kill you where you stand!"
The one blocking his path was a genin from Amegakure, a Rain-nin with the village's signature weapon: an iron umbrella filled with countless hidden projectiles.
"Try it, then," Yō raised a single finger and crooked it in challenge, eyes glittering. "Let's see which of us dies here."
"Then don't blame me!"
The Rain-nin roared, whipping out his umbrella and stabbing it forward like a spear.
Ding!
Yō caught the thrust with his kunai—but then noticed the sly grin spreading across the Rain-nin's face. His gut clenched.
In the next instant, hundreds of senbon needles shot out from the umbrella's surface, their tips faintly glowing green—poisoned.
"Clever trick. No wonder Ame-nin are infamous. Annoying, but clever."
Yō retreated lightly, then pointed at his opponent again, a mocking curl to his lips.
"Rain Senbon Barrage!"
The Rain-nin snarled, opening the umbrella wide and spinning it rapidly. A storm of poisoned needles shredded the air, all flying straight toward Yō.
"Water Style: Water Formation Wall!"
Yō flashed through seals. A massive wall of water surged up before him, intercepting every senbon with a hiss and splash.
"…Is that all? Honestly, I expected more. Got anything else? If not, kindly step aside."
He dispelled the water wall with a flick, calm as ever, and crooked his finger once more.
"Water Style: Jaws of Evil!"
The Rain-nin had finally lost his temper. A torrent of water surged from beneath his feet, morphing into the snarling head of a beast. Its sheer pressure crushed the air as it roared toward Yō.
Boom!
Yō slipped back gracefully, evading the strike and landing lightly atop the water's surface.
"Water Style: Water Fang Bullets!"
The Rain-nin's voice rang out as soon as Yō touched down. Twin streams of water erupted like fangs from below, launching upward at breakneck speed.
Yō pushed back in a flash, but while he was still mid-air, a shadow loomed behind him—
The Rain-nin had already closed in, leg snapping around in a vicious whip-kick straight toward Yō's back!