Chapter 28: Female Ninja
Tsubaki, the kunoichi, looked at Sasuke with a puzzled expression. She couldn't quite understand.
This young-looking Sasuke—what exactly was he up to?
At this moment, Tsubaki could never have imagined that Sasuke's target was actually her!
Domineering and ruthless, Sasuke had just killed her fiancé moments ago.
...
Hearing Sasuke's provocation, Tsubaki's expression turned murderous.
"Of course, I want to kill you!"
"But... I can't."
Her fiancé, Mizuki, had brought this upon himself. She couldn't let hatred drive her to kill Sasuke.
Seeing her reaction, Sasuke chuckled.
He always adjusted his approach based on the person he was dealing with. Whether it was Sakura, Ino, Ayame, or Hinata, he had different methods for each.
"Right now, I'm giving you a fair chance to kill me openly."
A smirk played on Sasuke's lips.
Ever since he had transmigrated into the Naruto anime world, he had been focused on seducing women. But killing Mizuki had stirred something within him.
Hinata, a rare beauty, deserved careful handling.
But a kunoichi like Tsubaki, Mizuki's fiancée—Sasuke felt that taking her was already a favor to her.
After all, who was Sasuke?
And who was she?
...
Sasuke was just that arrogant!
He was like an emperor. The women he set his eyes on should feel lucky.
After all, without Sasuke, a kunoichi like Tsubaki would never encounter a man better than him in her lifetime.
Accepting her into his harem meant her status would naturally be lower than Sakura and Ino's, even lower than Ayame's, the daughter of the Ichiraku Ramen owner.
Wherever there were people, there was hierarchy.
Where there were many people, there would inevitably be rankings!
Even within a harem of three thousand beauties, equality was impossible.
As of now, Sasuke had ranked his harem: Hinata was in the first tier, with Sakura and Ino in the second tier.
Ayame and Tsubaki naturally belonged to the third tier.
...
Sasuke's words and intentions were peculiar.
Under the bright moonlight, Tsubaki questioned, "What exactly do you want?"
Sasuke smirked. "I pity you, so I'm giving you a chance to kill me."
"A fair duel. If you manage to kill me, consider your revenge complete—and I'll have no regrets."
"What do you think?"
Someone actively delivering themselves to be killed?
Sasuke's proposal left Tsubaki utterly baffled.
"You think I'd believe you're that kind?"
She speculated, "Or perhaps, after killing my fiancé Mizuki tonight, you feel guilty?"
Sasuke laughed. "You don't need to worry about my reasons."
"Of course, if you lose, you must agree to one condition of mine."
As expected!
This Sasuke had ulterior motives.
Tsubaki asked, "What condition?"
Sasuke naturally wouldn't reveal it upfront. "I'll tell you once you lose!"
"Hmph!"
In the end, hatred clouded Tsubaki's judgment.
She failed to consider that even though Sasuke was young, he had managed to kill Mizuki.
Why would he willingly offer a fair duel and let her kill him?
Of course!
The village of Konoha wasn't without fools like that.
For example, Hatake Kakashi's father, the famed "White Fang of Konoha," whose reputation rivaled that of the "Legendary Sannin."
Yet, such a powerful figure chose to abandon a mission to save his comrades...
In the end, the torment of gossip and slander drove him to suicide!
To Tsubaki, perhaps Sasuke was simply too young, and after accidentally killing Mizuki for the first time... even though Mizuki was a rogue ninja of Konoha, he had still been a teacher at the Ninja Academy. Thus, Sasuke was now feeling guilty and had come to Mizuki's fiancée, Tsubaki, to offer a fair duel.
Perhaps he just wanted to alleviate his guilt.
Of course, this absurd reasoning was merely Tsubaki's own wishful thinking.
She didn't truly understand Sasuke!
Nor did she know how mercilessly he had killed her fiancé Mizuki...
She could only speculate based on what she saw.
...
So, on one hand, Tsubaki sought revenge for her fiancé.
On the other, she wanted to help Sasuke overcome his guilt!
Thus, she nodded in agreement.
"You're the one seeking death—don't blame me."
She spoke harshly, but she had no intention of actually killing Sasuke.
Even if he had killed her fiancé, Sasuke hadn't done anything wrong.
The one in the wrong was Mizuki...
But!
Sasuke had still killed her fiancé, so Tsubaki planned to simply stab him once in the upcoming fight, avoiding any vital spots...
Wounding Sasuke but not killing him.
That way, she could avenge Mizuki while also easing Sasuke's guilt!
...
If Sasuke knew what was going on in Tsubaki's mind, he would probably laugh himself to death.
He had killed Mizuki without a shred of guilt.
He was here solely to claim Tsubaki, fair and square.
He didn't even have the patience he had for Hinata when it came to a kunoichi like her.
He would take her directly and decisively!
...
Sasuke grinned. "Go ahead and attack!"
"Otherwise, you won't even get the chance to showcase your jutsu!"
Tsubaki was infuriated by Sasuke's arrogance.
"When you fall beneath my blade, I hope you can keep running that mouth of yours!"
Sasuke teased, "Oh, I'm not just hard with my words."
The rather naive Tsubaki didn't catch the hidden meaning behind Sasuke's words.
She had no intention of waiting any longer and swiftly unsheathed her ninja blade, launching a taijutsu assault.
Ninjas used various weapons, with most fast-moving assassin-type ninjas favoring kunai—small, convenient, and effective in special combat scenarios.
However, combat-oriented ninjas wielded long ninja swords like samurai, maximizing their destructive power.
Tsubaki was confident in her skills.
But the moment she closed in on Sasuke, she was instantly stunned.
"So fast!"
Indeed, Sasuke's taijutsu was clearly superior to hers.
Effortlessly dodging several of her attacks, Sasuke lazily scratched his ear and feigned boredom. "Tsubaki, is this really all you've got in taijutsu?"
"You look pretty weak."
"Damn you!" Tsubaki seethed and immediately launched a ninjutsu attack.
But her ninjutsu was too basic—she couldn't even graze Sasuke's clothes.
"..."
It was only at this moment that Tsubaki finally woke up to reality.
This Sasuke was absurdly strong!
His strength completely overwhelmed her.
From beginning to end...
This Sasuke had never come to atone out of guilt for killing Mizuki.
Rather...
"Uchiha Sasuke, are you here just to humiliate me?"
Outmatched and panting, Tsubaki finally gave up attacking.
Sasuke's face was filled with amusement.
"Congratulations, you got the right answer."
"If I wasn't worried about bruising your fair, delicate skin, I would've already knocked you down."
"Tsubaki, do you remember our agreement?"
"If you lost, you'd owe me one condition!"
Tsubaki's heart dropped.
She had been tricked!
"Damn you, Sasuke! What exactly do you want?!"
At last, she saw Sasuke's true nature—he was nothing like the handsome, harmless man he appeared to be.