Crack!
The sharp sound of metal breaking echoed through the forest as Kawaji's kunai finally snapped after the long, intense battle.
In that instant, the tip of Kawaji's blade sliced through Hui's Anbu mask, revealing his young face beneath it.
"So young!" Kawaji gasped, his initial suspicion now confirmed. Despite having an inkling about the boy's age, seeing his innocent, youthful face left Kawaji stunned.
The kid was only six or seven years old, yet he had this much power. A true prodigy from Konoha!
"A genius from the Hidden Leaf, huh? Too bad you're going to die here today!" Kawaji growled with malicious certainty. In his mind, he had already won.
If he had been just a fraction faster earlier, or if this brat had been a tad bit slower, he would have already finished him off. He could feel their stamina waning—both of these children were nearing exhaustion.
The white-haired boy realized this too, and panic began to rise within him. His body trembled as he faced the overwhelming odds, but he couldn't flee—not without dooming Hui.
Yes, the white-haired boy recognized Hui. After all, Hui was known as the most handsome boy in the academy, and this boy had graduated the same year. How could he not know of him?
"Run! Go get help! I'll hold him off!" the boy shouted with a resolute voice, making a tough decision.
His words caught Hui by surprise. The white-haired boy was clearly ready to sacrifice himself to give Hui a chance to survive.
"You little brats, neither of you is getting out of here alive! You'll both die today!" Kawaji roared, his eyes gleaming with madness.
Hui's expression hardened with determination. "If either of us leaves, the other will die. Hold on, if we can just last until backup arrives, we'll win!"
Of course, Hui had no intention of running away. He had a plan, and the critical moment was drawing near.
The white-haired boy was shaken by Hui's resolve. He realized that Hui had accepted the possibility of death too and wasn't about to leave him behind.
"Alright then! Let's see who falls first—us or him!" the boy shouted, steeling himself for what was to come.
"Let's see who's still standing by the end!" Kawaji's face twisted into a hideous snarl as he attacked with renewed fury, determined to end the fight as quickly as possible.
Boom!
Shhhh!
In a split second, Hui made what appeared to be a critical mistake. He left himself wide open, and Kawaji seized the chance, delivering a powerful kick to Hui's chest.
Hui flew backwards, crashing into the ground with a sickening thud, unable to rise.
"Hui?!" The white-haired boy's heart sank, blurting out Hui's true name in a moment of panic.
With Hui seemingly out of the fight, Kawaji's bloodlust intensified. He threw caution to the wind and launched a relentless assault on the white-haired boy, abandoning defense entirely.
Without Hui's support, the boy couldn't hold his ground for long. Kawaji's crazed onslaught soon overwhelmed him, sending him flying as well.
Thud!
Coughing up blood, Kawaji wiped his mouth and finally allowed himself a moment of relief. His chest heaved with exhaustion, but a sinister grin spread across his face.
It was almost over. He just needed to finish these two kids and then he could make his escape.
Hopefully, his captain could keep the rest of the Leaf Ninja at bay long enough for him to get away.
"Brats, it's over," Kawaji sneered, picking up a discarded kunai. He strode toward Hui, whose body was curled up in pain on the ground.
"Damn it!" the white-haired boy groaned, struggling to get up but finding it impossible. He was wracked with guilt, cursing his own weakness for not being able to protect the six-year-old prodigy.
Even though he was only twelve himself.
"Hui, huh? A true genius!" Kawaji chuckled darkly. "If you had more time, you'd have grown into a powerful ninja. But unfortunately for you, you met me today. This is your fate, and it all ends here."
As Kawaji closed the distance, stopping just two meters from Hui, he raised his kunai, preparing to deliver the final blow.
But at that precise moment, Hui moved.
He had been waiting for this—the perfect distance. He had been conserving his energy, and now he was ready.
A brilliant silver light flashed.
It looked like the curve of a new moon or the streak of a shooting star. The light shot out from Hui's sword, straight into Kawaji's body.
"Yes, it's over," Hui said calmly as he rose from the ground.
"You…" Kawaji tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come. Blood spurted from his throat.
The light had cut through his neck, severing his throat completely.
Thud!
Kawaji's body collapsed to the ground, his eyes wide open in disbelief. Even in death, his expression was frozen in bitter resentment. He had evaded the elite forces of Konoha time and time again, only to be struck down by two kids. It was an end he could never have imagined.
"Whew, it's finally over. Are you alright?" Hui asked, breathing a deep sigh of relief. He walked over to the white-haired boy, helping him to his feet.
The boy looked at Hui, staring at his delicate, youthful face. Slowly, a smile crept across his lips.
"Not bad, Hui. Your acting was flawless."
Finally understanding Hui's strategy, the boy couldn't help but feel a deep admiration for him.
Hui simply smiled without saying a word. After helping the boy to his feet, he walked over and picked up his broken mask.
Then, he turned back to the white-haired boy, flashing him a wide grin. "Even if you recognize an Anbu member during a mission, you're not supposed to call out their real name."
"If we meet again, remember—I go by Light."
As he spoke, a ray of sunlight broke through the clouds, streaming through the leaves and casting a soft glow on Hui's face. It was a beautiful scene.
The white-haired boy gazed at the image before him, imprinting it in his memory.
As Hui turned and leaped into the trees, ready to leave, the boy called out loudly, "Light!"
Hui paused mid-jump, turning his head to look back with a questioning expression.
Below, the white-haired boy smiled brightly and shouted, "I'm Sakumo Hatake! It's been a pleasure to meet you!"
Hui's lips curved into a grin. Landing on a branch, he gave one final nod before continuing his way into the forest, leaving only three words behind in the air.
"Got it."