"Whoosh—"
In the outskirts.
A small stream flowed gently nearby.
All around, towering trees formed a dense forest.
Having barely managed to shake off Anko's relentless teasing, Kiyoshi fled here in a bit of a mess.
"She's a true maniac," he muttered, wiping imaginary sweat off his forehead.
His face was covered with an embarrassing mixture of lipstick smears and saliva.
There was no need to ask who was behind it all.
Although Anko kept saying she liked him, Kiyoshi knew better. Was that really affection?
More like a craving for his physique and his boyish looks!
"If only my little buddy was stronger, and I didn't have to hide my Wood Release, I'd teach that woman a thing or two."
Feeling somewhat annoyed, Kiyoshi crouched by the river to wash his face.
"Come on, buddy, don't let me down."
A thin line of water splashed.
The young eagle still had time to grow, wobbling as if it were ready to take flight.
"You've done well so far, the rest just takes time."
In a few years, what would Anko be? No trouble at all.
After finishing his "Water Release," Kiyoshi felt much better and tilted his head, considering, "Since I have nothing to do, maybe I'll go find Tsunade-nee."
He closed his eyes slightly.
An impressive sensory ability.
In an instant, he sensed the whole of Konoha, easily locating Tsunade's familiar chakra signature, strong and close to him.
"Hm?" Detecting something unusual, Kiyoshi squinted slightly, a mocking look flashing in his eyes.
On the outside, however, he remained calm.
"Heh, Kiyoshi?"
A chilling killing intent filled the air.
A shadowy figure suddenly appeared before him, wielding a blade that gleamed coldly, swinging it straight down at Kiyoshi.
It was as if they wanted him to know they were testing him, gauging his strength.
"Zzzt—" In the blink of an eye.
Kiyoshi seemed frozen in place, stunned, unable to react.
The sharp blade sliced through his shoulder with precision.
In an instant, his whole body split in two.
Yet, no blood spilled.
Instead, his form dissolved into a dark mist.
In the next moment, the mist gathered, and he reappeared a few meters away, unscathed.
"What!?" The shadowy figure, masked and clad in black, stared at him in shock.
Holding his blade, he couldn't believe his eyes as Kiyoshi stood there, unharmed.
"Damn… an illusion!"
His expression changed as he instinctively leapt back, hands forming a release seal.
"Release!"
"Whoosh…" Sure enough, the thin figure before him vanished.
But now it reappeared several meters to his right.
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
Three shuriken tore through the air, flying at him with lightning speed.
"So fast, when did he even…?"
Seeing this, the masked figure felt a chill in his heart.
"Clang… clang…" His blade swung repeatedly, blocking the incoming shuriken.
Kiyoshi reached into his tool pouch.
Grabbing a well-maintained kunai that gleamed in the light, he charged at the figure, shouting, "Who are you?"
"Heh, overestimating yourself…" Seeing Kiyoshi rush at him with a kunai, he mockingly smiled.
He had let his guard down earlier.
But a mere kid who hadn't even killed anyone before?
Lacking any real combat experience, this brat decided to fight him?
Without hesitation, he moved forward.
"Ah…"
Seemingly frightened by the intimidating killing intent, Kiyoshi skidded to a halt mid-charge.
He trembled, his face paling.
"A kid's still a kid, scared stiff by such a small display."
The masked figure smirked in satisfaction.
But as he neared, he saw something unexpected—a strange smile on Kiyoshi's previously frightened face.
Kiyoshi pointed around them, gesturing for him to take a look.
"Damn it… How is this possible!?"
The masked figure's eyes widened.
A quick glance around sent chills down his spine.
All around him, countless images of Kiyoshi filled the scene.
Countless, densely packed, easily in the thousands.
"Another illusion? Release…"
He instinctively bit down on his tongue.
With the sharp pain and the taste of blood in his mouth, the numerous images vanished from all sides.
Relieved, he managed a small smile behind his mask.
However—
The smile on his face froze in the next instant.
His limbs were suddenly bound by massive vines that had emerged from the ground.
Behind him, a giant carnivorous flower grew, blossomed, and then swallowed him whole.
"Ahhh—"
His scream echoed in terror.
He lost consciousness, sinking into endless darkness.
"Thud—"
The masked figure's eyes rolled back as he collapsed.
Standing there, having never moved from his spot, Kiyoshi kept his hands in his pockets. "Too easy. Just a double illusion, and he's done for..."
"Clearly not much of a pro."
He didn't bother to wonder who the masked man was.
He didn't need to, it was obvious. It was either Hiruzen or Danzo who had sent the guy to test him.
Now, at least, he had some backing as Tsunade's student. There was no longer a need to keep such a low profile.
"Hm?"
Several meters away, a white-clad figure watched from a hidden perch on a tree branch, perplexed.
"What… just happened?"
Having observed the entire scene, he realized that the little brat, who couldn't have been older than eight or nine, hadn't moved from his spot the entire time.
The masked man, who had appeared and rushed at him, had somehow managed to collapse on his own, screaming as he fell.
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