"What did you just say?!"
Kameda's face twisted in confusion. He didn't fully understand Raizen's words, but his instincts told him it was a provocation—a curse wrapped in contempt.
"Afraid? Please," Raizen drawled, arms crossed. "I'm not afraid. I'm just… uninterested. You're too weak to make this worth my time."
Anger flared on the three ninjas' faces, but Raizen wasn't done. His smirk widened. "Though… I suppose I could make it interesting."
The three froze, ears straining.
"Since it's a bet," Raizen continued casually, "here's the deal: if I lose, I leave the city. If you lose… you teach me one of your best ninjutsu. Fair enough?"
The words struck like a lightning bolt. Gambling with ninjutsu? That was taboo, sacred knowledge for personal pride and clan honor. Hesitation flickered across their faces.
Raizen's grin widened. "Scared?" he taunted.
"Who's scared? Let's do it!" Kameda finally growled, losing his composure. He pointed ahead. "The training field. That's where we fight!"
Raizen nodded, following with practiced calm. By now, a small crowd of curious palace ninjas had gathered, eager to see the confrontation.
At the training ground, Kameda lunged immediately, kunai flashing in his hand.
"What's the plan this time?" Raizen asked casually, tilting his head.
Kameda scowled, but Raizen's grin remained. "You're supposed to show me your ninjutsu for the bet. If I win, you hand over that Body Replacement Technique."
Kameda hesitated no longer. Fingers flying through precise hand seals, he called out, "Water Style: Water Dragon Bomb Technique!"
From the ground, water erupted, twisting into a massive, roaring dragon. Its tail slammed into the training field, sending mud and stones flying, its roar silent but terrifyingly physical.
Raizen's eyes gleamed. "Now that's more like it." He didn't even flinch.
"Ready?" he asked, with a harmless smile.
"Then die!" Kameda yelled, charging, kunai aimed at Raizen's throat. A single precise strike could end this in an instant—or so Kameda thought.
Raizen's hand moved like lightning, summoning six Flying Thunder God Kunai from his ninja bag. They spun through the air, a deadly blur of metal and chakra.
Ding! The kunai clashed, sparks flying. Kameda's own blades met them head-on, parrying with brute force.
He surged forward, aiming to slash Raizen's throat—but Raizen had already vanished.
"Disappeared?!" Kameda barked, scanning frantically. A chill ran down his spine as instinct screamed danger.
Raizen reappeared behind him, kunai spinning in a deadly arc. Ding! Collision. Kameda barely blocked, swinging his blade instinctively—but Raizen's figure vanished again, taunting him with every flicker of movement.
The battle had only just begun, and Raizen's calculated chaos left Kameda reeling, proving once more that the small five-year-old ninja was far more than he appeared.