Chapter 32: Whispers in the Dark
The streets of Konoha were quiet under the moonlight, but Nicolas felt something was off. His training with Tsunade had left him exhausted, but an unsettling sensation in the air kept him awake.
Sitting on the rooftop, he closed his eyes and let his senses expand. The wind carried whispers—faint, almost imperceptible. But something was there. Watching.
His hand instinctively moved to the artifact resting beneath his shirt. It pulsed ever so slightly.
Then, a shadow moved in the alley below.
Nicolas's eyes snapped open.
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A Silent Pursuit
Without making a sound, he leaped from the rooftop, landing softly in the alleyway. The presence he sensed was fast, slipping through the village undetected.
But not from me.
Activating his heightened perception, Nicolas followed. His movements were precise, blending into the darkness as he pursued the shadowy figure through the winding streets of Konoha.
Finally, the figure stopped in an abandoned courtyard near the edge of the village. Nicolas hid in the shadows, observing.
It was a masked shinobi.
His heart pounded. He had fought one before—an elite warrior sent by an unknown force. And now, another had appeared.
The masked figure knelt, placing a scroll on the ground. Moments later, a faint glow enveloped the parchment, and strange markings appeared. Nicolas's eyes narrowed. A message?
Before he could react, the shinobi suddenly turned. "I know you're there."
Nicolas cursed internally. Spotted.
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A Clash in the Night
The masked shinobi wasted no time. He dashed forward with inhuman speed, kunai in hand. Nicolas barely managed to draw his blade in time, sparks flying as metal clashed against metal.
The force of the impact sent Nicolas skidding backward, but he quickly regained his footing. His opponent wasn't like the last one—this one was faster, stronger, more refined.
Nicolas tightened his grip. "Who are you?"
The shinobi said nothing. Instead, he formed a single hand seal.
In an instant, the ground beneath Nicolas's feet cracked as an unseen force slammed into him. He barely had time to throw up his arms in defense before he was sent flying backward, crashing through a wooden fence.
Pain shot through his body, but he gritted his teeth. Damn… what kind of jutsu was that?
The masked shinobi stepped forward, voice cold. "You were never meant to exist."
Nicolas's breath caught. What?
The shinobi raised his hand, chakra swirling around his fingers like an unseen blade. "Your presence in this world disrupts the balance. You must be erased."
Nicolas's eyes burned with determination as he forced himself to his feet. His artifact pulsed wildly, his energy surging in response to the danger.
"If you want to erase me," he growled, raising his sword, "then you'd better be ready to try harder."
The shinobi lunged again. Nicolas met him head-on.
The battle had begun.
End of Chapter 32