"Gate Two: Gate of Rest, Open! Eight Gates Release,
"Secret Taijutsu Art: Front Lotus!"
Exploding with power from activating the first two gates of the Eight Gates technique, Rock Lee launched his forbidden, self-harming move, Front Lotus, slamming the enemy into the ground with devastating force.
"Ninja Art: Twin Rising Dragons!"
Two unfurled scrolls spun in midair like twin white dragons. From them burst a torrential downpour of kunai and shuriken that rained down like a storm. The second enemy was thoroughly subdued by Tenten.
"Gentle Fist Technique: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"
The third enemy's chakra points were sealed, his organs ravaged from within by the precision strikes of Gentle Fist. He collapsed, completely incapacitated by Neji.
All three enemies were defeated. Though their foes were Chūnin-level, the three Genin still had to exert themselves, ultimately relying on their trump cards to secure victory.
Of the three, only Neji remained unscathed. Lee suffered the worst injuries, but only from the self-inflicted strain of his forbidden technique.
Tenten had taken a few blows during her intense fight, but they were superficial, easily treated with her prepared healing salves. As for Neji, although untouched physically, his chakra reserves were nearly depleted, a cost of his all-in-one offensive and defensive Gentle Fist style.
Throughout it all, Kirito had stood quietly at a distance with the rest of the transport crew, watching the 3-on-3 ninja battle from afar, completely uninvolved.
With the battle over and the trio needing time to recover, and the sky beginning to darken with signs of incoming rain, the convoy halted their progress.
Near a mountain stream, they found an open patch of land and quickly set up camp. While forests offered natural cover, ninja protocol warned against camping inside wooded areas, "Never enter the forest," as the saying went. If they were attacked there, the enemy could remain hidden while they were exposed. Here on the riverside, the open terrain offered wide visibility and significantly reduced the risk of surprise attacks.
"Thanks for your hard work."
Kirito handed Tenten a jug of water as she finished tending to her injuries. She took it without ceremony and guzzled it down in one go.
"Phew…" Tenten let out a deep breath. As a kunoichi with naturally lower stamina, that fight had cost her dearly in both chakra and physical energy. But defeating a Chūnin-level opponent? That was no small feat.
"Hey hey~ Kirito-kun, you sure had it easy back there," she grumbled, plopping down onto the ground without a shred of lady-like grace. She shot a look at Kirito, unscathed and full of energy. "You just stood there like you were watching a show! Couldn't even throw a shuriken or something to help cover me?!"
"Heh~" Kirito chuckled playfully. "You guys were doing great. Didn't seem like you needed my help."
"Hmph~" Tenten puffed her cheeks. "Neji's the top of our generation. Lee's learned powerful taijutsu from Guy-sensei. And I've got my arsenal of weapons. Yeah, okay, you probably weren't needed…"
"See?" Kirito spread his hands, as if that settled it.
"Hmph!" Tenten crossed her arms, still fuming. "Still annoys me! I hate seeing people with strength who don't even try to use it!"
Kirito smiled, just about to say something back, when suddenly, his expression froze.
A message rang through his mind, the unmistakable voice of the system.
[New Mission Triggered]
[Mission Type: Hidden Plotline]
[Mission Difficulty: B Rank]
[Reward: 3x Weapon Draw Opportunities]
[Bonus Reward Condition: If the battle concludes with zero friendly casualties, additional attribute points will be granted.]
The moment Kirito saw the mission details, his face changed.
A hidden plotline meant his usual advantage, foreknowledge of the story, was gone. Anything could happen now.
And the difficulty was B-rank.
His system's difficulty ratings were not the same as the ninja world's. For example, the mission to kill Mizuki, an ex-Chūnin and traitor, would've been considered at least B-rank by Konoha standards. But the Arsenal System had only rated it as a D-rank.
That meant a system-classified B-rank mission… was a truly dangerous task.
The rewards proved it too: three full weapon draws. The greater the reward, the greater the risk.
But what truly unsettled him was the bonus clause: [No friendly deaths = Additional Attribute Points].
In other words, this mission had a real risk of casualties.
Kirito's expression remained composed on the surface. But his mind was already moving fast.
He scanned their surroundings, the wounded Tenten, the drained Neji, the self-injured Rock Lee. The rest of the caravan crew? Just burly transporters with no combat power.
His sharp gaze swept the terrain.
This was when good camp placement paid off. Their position was wide open with clear sightlines. And being by the river meant the soil was loose, perfect for detecting tremors from underground Earth-style ambushes.
A glint flashed through Kirito's black eyes.
That left only one place the enemy could be hiding.
The rushing sound of the river behind him flowed steadily. Nothing unusual.
With his back to the riverbank, Kirito slowly raised his hand, and under the cover of his own body, a black dagger materialized in his palm.
The edge shimmered coldly.
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200 P.S = 1 Extra Chapters