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Within a hidden base deep in the mountains surrounding the Land of Rivers, many mysterious figures cloaked in black and wearing necklaces with outer circles and inner triangles were busy with their tasks.
"Akagi Shinji, Hidan, after the blood extraction, begin today's taijutsu training," instructed a commanding figure.
"Understood, Lord Taki."
Boom! Boom!
In a dimly lit, spacious chamber, two figures were locked in a fierce taijutsu match, their forms flickering in the firelight. The sound of flesh meeting flesh echoed without pause as each blow landed with brutal force.
One figure would be knocked to the ground only to spring back up an instant later, retaliating without hesitation.
As the match went on, both boys' movements became increasingly disorganized, their exhaustion evident. It was no longer just a fight; it was a test of willpower, a battle to see who would collapse first.
For onlookers, it wasn't a particularly impressive or thrilling spectacle. These two boys, who appeared around 14 or 15, were far from skilled in taijutsu, lacking in finesse and technique. But anyone who observed their raw power, resilience, and stamina would notice that their physical abilities far surpassed those of ordinary boys their age.
Thus, the cloaked figures around them kept a close watch, recording every detail. This was no ordinary taijutsu lesson but rather one part of a daily observation and research experiment.
"Alright, that's enough for today. Take an hour to rest, then move on to jutsu studies," ordered a middle-aged man. Unlike the others in black robes, he wore dark red, a kindly smile on his face that made him seem like a friendly uncle from the countryside.
But appearances were deceptive. This man, whose gentle demeanor hid his dark ambitions, was the founder of the Cult of the Evil God. He preached "endless slaughter" as their doctrine, amassing followers and spreading terror across the surrounding lands. Unbeknownst to many, the cult's influence had grown to become a forbidden subject in places like the Land of Rivers.
The two boys, fists raised and poised to deliver the next blow, finally halted, stopping just centimeters from each other's faces.
"Tch, lucky for you this time! My next punch would've smashed your skull for sure!" snarled a boy with gray hair, purple-red eyes, and a rebellious slicked-back hairstyle, his rogue ninja headband from Yugakure tied around his neck. Despite his ragged appearance—bruises, dirt, and all—his words carried a menacing edge.
Across from him was a boy of similar height, with short, spiky brown hair and a cold expression. Though he looked pale and delicate, his reckless combat style contradicted his appearance. He fought with a kind of raw, unsettling ferocity that could make one's skin crawl.
If you looked closely, you'd see that this boy, Akagi Shinji, wasn't nearly as refined as he seemed. In fact, he had a downright nasty personality.
Smirking at Hidan's bluster, he replied, "Oh? With those marshmallow punches of yours? If your goal was to make me laugh to death, congrats, you almost succeeded, Hidan."
"Akagi! Shinji! You bastard—I'll kill you!" Hidan's eyes blazed with rage. His fists clenched as he spat out words thick with venom. "How dare you insult my iron fists?! By the Evil God, you're dead meat!"
"Apologies, I shouldn't have said that…" Shinji retorted with mock sincerity, edging his head closer to Hidan's chest with each word. "After all, for a guy whose attacks are softer than a powder puff, at least you don't cry for your mommy when you get hit!"
Shinji leaned in with each taunt, pushing Hidan backward until his face turned red with frustration.
Finally, Hidan snapped.
"Shine!" he roared, yanking out a black dagger from his cloak and plunging it into Shinji's chest. Blood spurted as the weapon struck.
"Argh, damn… that hurts!"
Though this wasn't Shinji's first time experiencing death, the pain of having his heart pierced was as agonizing as ever. But at that very moment, as Hidan drove the dagger into Shinji's heart, Shinji's own kunai found Hidan's throat, embedding itself deep.
Shinji had anticipated Hidan's move all along, choosing to counterattack rather than evade. This was a man who showed no mercy, even to himself.
Thud.
Both boys fell to the ground—one with a stabbed heart, the other with a pierced throat. For most people, these fatal injuries would mean certain death, with no chance of survival even if help arrived immediately.
Yet, oddly enough, none of the cloaked onlookers showed any intent to help, watching impassively as the boys lay sprawled on the ground, unfazed by their apparent deaths.
Moments later, Hidan's hand twitched, and he grabbed the kunai in his neck, pulling it free.
"Gah… cough… damn it! That hurt!" he muttered as he stumbled to his feet, tossing aside the bloodied kunai. Miraculously, he was still alive, his wounds healing rapidly.
On the other side, after about three seconds, Shinji's eyes shot open. He rose from the ground with practiced ease, yanking the black dagger from his chest and discarding it as if it were nothing.
If he had been reborn into this ruthless ninja world, then he would fight to survive, no matter what that entailed—even if it meant killing or being killed.
He spat out a mouthful of blood, then looked at Hidan and sneered, "Is that all? Seriously? My grandmother could hit harder than that!"
Grinding his teeth, Hidan glared at Shinji, but he knew all too well that this banter was futile. Ever since they'd both survived *that ritual*, they shared the blessing—or curse—of an "immortal" body, a gift from the Evil God himself.
But this wasn't the first time Hidan had tried to kill Shinji in a fit of anger, nor the first time Shinji had retaliated. They'd been at each other's throats so many times it was almost routine. Once, Hidan had managed to land a surprise attack, but Shinji's revenge had been brutal—he'd decapitated Hidan and buried his head. It took the cult three days of "treasure hunting" to finally locate him, only because the furious Lord Taki ordered Shinji to reveal his hiding spot.
Since then, the two had become inseparable rivals, earning Shinji a reputation among the cult members for his ruthless, vengeful personality.
"Alright, enough of this pointless bickering, children," Lord Taki said, his voice deceptively gentle as he watched the scene unfold without intervention. "It seems you still have plenty of energy left, so let's skip the rest break. Head to Chamber 2 immediately—the materials are ready."
Watching the two rivals, Lord Taki felt a surge of satisfaction. Their unrelenting clashes had yielded valuable data, far beyond his expectations.
Realizing that fighting further was pointless, Hidan snorted, turned on his heel, and walked away, muttering threats under his breath.