"Find him now! Tell him he's perfectly qualified—stop him from killing more!"
A high-ranking official barked orders to the Anbu.
Kirigakure's graduation exam was brutal, but selecting only one survivor would be a catastrophic loss.
"Damn it, he's heading toward Ringo Ameyuri, Hozuki Suigetsu, and Shima Isshin!"
A Chunin slapped his thigh, his face grim.
"Hey, hey, hey, those four crossing paths is bad news!"
Why?
Ringo Ameyuri, Suigetsu, and Isshin had already racked up thirty-five kills combined.
Yoru Ryo, with thirteen, was no less bloodthirsty.
If these killing machines clashed, peace was impossible.
Worst case? They'd all perish.
That would be a devastating blow.
Mist Forest
"Spare me! I don't want to die!"
"Big brother, I messed up—I shouldn't have targeted you!"
A group of ninjas pleaded in terror before Yoru Ryo.
"Begging now that you can't win? Too late, folks!"
Don't blame Yoru Ryo for his bloodlust. If he didn't kill them, they'd stab him in the back the moment he turned.
"Monster! He's a monster!"
"Everyone, steer clear of that White Blade Asura!"
In no time, Yoru Ryo's fearsome title—White Blade Asura—spread like wildfire.
"Oh? White Blade Asura? Sounds pretty strong!"
Ringo Ameyuri's eyes gleamed with excitement at the news.
"Heh, count me in!" Hozuki Suigetsu and Shima Isshin grinned.
Shima Isshin, a Chunin who earned Ameyuri's respect in combat, had been invited to hunt alongside them.
Three Chunin together? Even a Special Jonin would struggle to take them down.
"Well, well, didn't expect you three to come knocking!"
Yoru Ryo, fresh from his thirtieth kill, wiped sweat from his brow.
Before him, Ringo Ameyuri, Suigetsu, and Isshin approached, side by side.
"White Blade Asura, let's see what you've got!"
"Fight with the intent to kill!"
"Didn't know you were hiding this much power—color me impressed!"
With that, the trio charged.
"Genjutsu: Paralysis Bind!"
Yoru Ryo formed seals in a flash and glared.
The three froze, their bodies locked. Panic surged as they unleashed all their chakra, straining to break free.
But Yoru Ryo wasn't about to give them the chance.
Paralysis Bind drained more chakra the stronger the target.
He wasn't here to play endurance games.
"Hawk Flash!"
Yoru Ryo blurred past them in a heartbeat.
Blood sprayed from their chests as they collapsed, eyes wide with shock.
Just a fraction closer, and their throats would've been slit.
Yoru Ryo caught his breath, eyeing the trio.
Controlling three Chunin-level ninjas at once was taxing, even for him.
He raised an eyebrow, voice brimming with arrogance. "I could've killed you all, but you three are rare talents. I'll let your heads stay on your necks—for now."
"You three, remember this humiliation. Get stronger. Next time you face me, I won't hold back!"
Ringo Ameyuri's face twisted with rage. When had she ever been so dismissed?
"Don't underestimate me, you bastard!"
She lunged, ready to carve Yoru Ryo apart, but an Anbu appeared, cutting her off.
The Anbu's cold gaze swept over the trio. "Your exam, and Yoru Ryo's, ends here. You've all passed."
"Any further conflict will be met with death!"
"Tch, how boring!"
Ringo Ameyuri scowled, but even she didn't dare defy the Anbu.
She shot Yoru Ryo a venomous glare. "You just wait, punk! I'll make you beg for mercy!"
Yoru Ryo ignored her threat, turning to the Anbu.
"What brings you here?"
The Anbu replied, "Yoru Ryo, come with me."
"Why?" Yoru Ryo stepped back, eyes wary.
"Your performance is too inconsistent. We need to verify your identity."
"Lady Terumi Mei is under surveillance until your identity is confirmed."
At that, Yoru Ryo sheathed his Tachi. "Fine, let's go."
"The Anbu's words signaled that they were Mei's allies—no cause for alarm.
Kirigakure's identity check was straightforward: a biological scan of genetic markers in the blood.
Yoru Ryo had nothing to fear.
Outside the Forest
"Lords, Yoru Ryo is here!"
The Anbu escorted Yoru Ryo before a group of high-ranking officials.
Yoru Ryo's gaze fell on a greasy man, equal in status to Terumi Mei, smirking with sinister glee.
Senta Yasu.
This guy's got some weird fetish or something, Yoru Ryo thought, unnerved by Senta's stare.
He glanced at his sister, Terumi Mei.
Flanked by two Anbu, she stood calm, even flashing him a look of approval.
"You've got one chance to confess," a ninja behind Senta Yasu barked. "Who are you? Posing as an examinee is a death sentence!"
Yoru Ryo raised an eyebrow. "I'm Yoru Ryo, the real deal. No need for fakes."
"If you don't believe me, test me. I'm the genuine Yoru Ryo, guaranteed!"
"But if you're wrong, I expect an explanation!"
The ninja's eyes narrowed, sneering. "Stubborn as a dead pig facing boiling water. Tough talk!"
"Intelligence Division, go! Peel back his facade and show everyone his true face!"
Two shady-looking ninjas stepped forward.
"Let's see you keep up the act now!"
"If you're Yoru Ryo, I'll wash my hair upside down! No way a loser turns prodigy overnight!"
Senta Yasu turned to Terumi Mei, gloating. "Mei, such a clumsy cheating scheme? Shame on you!"
"Exactly! So amateurish! It tarnishes your reputation!" the ninja echoed, fawning like a lapdog.
"Real or fake? Heh, this'll be fun!"
"Maybe we're about to witness a miracle—or a power shift!"
The surrounding ninjas buzzed with chatter, the scene electric.
Terumi Mei met Senta Yasu's gaze, her voice dripping with disdain. "Results aren't out, and you're already jumping around? Calm down, or you'll be the one with egg on your face."
"When your face swells up, you'll really look like a pig!"
Her sharp tongue set Senta Yasu fuming, teeth grinding.
"Hmph, enjoy your moment. There's no way that's your brother!"
Senta Yasu refused to believe the slaughtering Yoru Ryo was the real deal.
Absolutely a fake! he thought, conviction burning.