Author Note:
And like always, remember if you want to read up to 40 chapters ahead go to https://www.patreón.com/cornbringer
I'm currently updating the novel 1-2 chapters a day in patreeeeon. On chapter 104 right now.
Discord invite: https://discord.gg/XHduApz
Enjoy you sexy bastards.
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[Flashback]
[Third Person - POV.]
As Takeshi jumped back, dodging yet another blast of wind, another ninja came at him from the left, a blade of wind in his hand. And Takeshi had to admit, he was starting to feel… a bit insulted that they kept coming at him like this, so without wasting a moment, he met the wind-enhanced blade with his own, cutting right through the tanto, bisecting the man.
Smiling, Takeshi backtracked, evading another howling gust of wind that tore through the air towards him. He could practically taste the power behind each slicing burst as he leapt clear, feeling the sharp brush of death in the passing breeze. None of the blasts had been even close to hitting him, but he knew they packed quite the punch.
"Five down… thirteen to go," Takeshi announced, cracking his neck. A slight smirk tugged at his lips as he rolled his shoulder, feeling the familiar thrill of adrenaline coursing through his veins. He was in his element now. "But now it's my turn to be on the offensive… right?"
The remaining ninjas looked at him, their faces half-hidden in their attire. Fear and anger burned in their eyes, but each step they took… simply reeked of desperation. They were smart enough to know by now that they stood little chance against him, yet… they were too proud to back out—not that Takeshi would've let them, but still.
True to his word, this time, Takeshi didn't wait for them to make the first move. He darted forward, blurring out of sight. Grabbing one of the ninjas who was still going through the hand signs by the throat, he pushed him to the ground. The ninja's eyes widened in terror as Takeshi's hand tightened, bone creaking under the pressure.
"If a jutsu takes more than two minutes for you to use it… it means you are not ready for it," Takeshi said, crushing the man's throat under his grip. Blood dripping from his hand, Takeshi turned to face the others.
"Next," he called out mockingly.
Two ninjas charged at him simultaneously from different directions as if trying to take him by surprise… but before they knew it, he moved, his blade a blur of shining steel slicing through the air, meeting their blades mid-air with an echoing clash of metal followed by two distinctive thumps—the sound of bodies hitting the ground.
"I don't mean to be rude, but… honestly, didn't you guys just see me cut through that guy's blade like it was butter?" Takeshi asked, a faint smile on his face as he pointed at the man he had bisected a few moments ago.
His question hung in the air for a moment, a clear accusation of their stupidity. It made the remaining ninjas lose momentum, giving room for a second of hesitation in their approach, which was more than enough for Takeshi to take advantage of.
He moved again, closing in on the nearest one with his blade gleaming. The ninja barely managed to react, only registering what had happened a second after Takeshi had driven his blade through his chest, piercing his heart. There was surprise in the ninja's eyes, then nothing.
"Nine to go," Takeshi said, pulling his blade free. "You guys are… rather fragile."
As if in response to his taunt, four ninjas charged at him from different directions. Two of them attacked high while the other two aimed low. In response, Takeshi launched himself into the air, flipping over the high attacks effortlessly while thrusting out with his blade mid-spin. Two pain-filled screams echoed through the silent battleground as blood spurted from fresh wounds.
"Seven…" Takeshi said, landing gracefully on one knee, before using the Phantom Mirage to move behind the other two, swiftly decapitating them. "Five."
The remaining ninjas seemed to finally realize their impending doom as they exchanged desperate, nervous glances with one another, before quickly spreading out, hoping to throw Takeshi off.
Takeshi took a deep breath, closing his eyes, letting a brief moment of silence hang heavily in the air; the world seemed to hold its breath. And then, with a swift explosion of movement that was more akin to a bolt of lightning tearing through the sky than a step, Takeshi sprang into action.
One by one, he closed the distance between them, reaching the first one, before moving his blade with an elegant spin and a flick of his wrist, silencing the terrified scream before it had even begun.
"Four," he murmured, his eyes already focused on the next adversary. Blurring out of sight, he cut down the next ninja before he could even draw his weapon, his blood staining the earth beneath them.
Calmly, he turned his attention to his next target—or targets rather—seeing three out of the four ninjas remaining had foolishly decided to escape together, instead of fully spreading out. Letting out a sigh, Takeshi closed his eyes, before moving once more, his Claymore slashing through each one as if they were paper.
"One," he said calmly as their bodies crumpled to the ground.
The final ninja, who was not too far away, looked at him in utter terror, dropping his weapon and staggering backward in blind panic. There was no fight left in him, and yet Takeshi advanced, his steps slow. For his enemy, his silver eyes felt like two cold moons, unrelenting and merciless.
He let the final ninja back away a few more steps, his eyes locked with Takeshi's, before he finally stopped. The fear in his dark eyes was palpable, a silent plea echoing off him. But such pleas fell on deaf ears. They had attacked him first, with the intent to kill—Takeshi was not one to kill without a reason, and trying to take his life… well, that seemed like a pretty good reason to him.
Takeshi stared, taking a moment to let the last man standing truly comprehend his impending end. Then, with a sudden, swift movement, Takeshi closed the gap between them, his Claymore raised high. The last remaining ninja, too terrified to even attempt dodging the inevitable, simply stood there, frozen.
"Zero," Takeshi whispered. The sound of his voice seemed to snap the world back into motion for the ninja, as with a single, effortless swing, Takeshi's Claymore descended upon him, cutting him down.
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[Arata Takeshi - POV.]
I had to say… I'm not sure if I should be proud of the fact that I just took on eighteen enemies or not, considering they were all genin.
"Hm," I sighed, taking the scrolls from their unconscious bodies. Four earth scrolls, and two heaven scrolls. That, plus the other heaven scroll I took from… the Aburame team, makes three sets of scrolls. Not bad…
The day has barely started, and I have already made sure three teams won't be able to compete.
I glanced around at the aftermath of the battle. The clearing was littered with fallen trees, cracks on the earth, and the corpses of my opponents. It was almost disappointing how easily they had fell. Eighteen opponents should have posed a greater challenge.
I rolled one of the scrolls between my fingers, considering my next move. My territory was still full of competitors, and my team's goal was making sure we were the only ones passing this part of the test.
"I might as well track another team,"