Light Release?

A calm voice echoed in everyone's ears.

A confused thought flickered in Terumi Mei's mind.

*Light escape?*

What kind of ninjutsu is this? Why haven't I heard of it in all my years in the ninja world? Is it some rare bloodline technique?

As the words escaped Kirito's lips, everyone's eyes turned to the man wearing sunglasses. Kirito slowly raised his arms, crossing them in front of his chest. Flashes of light danced from his palms.

Terumi Mei narrowed her eyes, trying to anticipate what this man would do. Her intel had suggested that Kirito was completely ignorant of ninjutsu and only possessed formidable physical strength. Could it be that Kirito's true power was stronger than what had been reported?

As Mei pondered, golden light began to pour from Kirito's hands, shooting into the air. As the lights multiplied, Mei's previously playful expression faded, and she felt a chill run down her spine. It was as though something terrible was about to unfold.

Naruto and the others, who were still recovering from their injuries, stared in awe at the scene.

"What is that?"

"It's so bright!" Naruto shielded his eyes from the dazzling glow.

"It looks like some sort of ninjutsu!" Sakura responded, her voice filled with astonishment.

"Ninjutsu? Is Teacher Kirito performing ninjutsu?" Naruto asked, still processing the scene.

"You ask me? I thought Kirito only knew physical techniques too. How did he suddenly use ninjutsu?" Sakura replied, her voice filled with awe.

"Light escape? Yasakani no Magatama?" Sasuke muttered as he opened his Sharingan. But as soon as his eyes focused on Kirito's glowing hands, he was overwhelmed by the intensity of the light. In an instant, his Sharingan shut itself off as tears uncontrollably streamed from his eyes. It wasn't sadness; it was a reflex.

Sasuke wiped his tears, trying to regain composure.

"Don't look directly at the light!" Sasuke warned Naruto and the others.

Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke quickly understood, averting their gazes from the blinding light and focusing instead on Mei Terumi. Meanwhile, Zabuza and Haku, who had been bracing for death at Mei's hands, felt a glimmer of hope rekindle in their hearts.

Zabuza and Haku had initially joined the fray because they had nowhere else to go. They were defected ninjas from the Hidden Mist Village, and with Mei Terumi holding a position of power there, they knew their lives were in jeopardy. If they were to die, they might as well go down fighting under the command of their powerful new leader, Kirito. But even they hadn't anticipated Mei's overwhelming strength. She was a Kage-level ninja, and they were powerless to resist.

Then, Kirito made his move.

Instead of relying on his renowned physical prowess, he performed the unheard-of ninjutsu, *Yasakani no Magatama*.

As the golden light exploded into the sky, Mei Terumi's eyes flickered with uncertainty. The intensity of the growing light began to unsettle her.

Without hesitation, she called out, "Boiling Style: Skillful Mist Technique!" She combined her fire and water chakras and released a mist of searing steam from her mouth.

But before Mei could fully unleash her mist, Kirito acted swiftly, waving his hands downward. The golden light streaked toward Mei like a meteor shower.

*Bang, bang, bang.*

Mei Terumi was overwhelmed by the barrage of light. The crowd could only see a blinding flash, so bright that even Zabuza had to shut his eyes.

The golden light rained down like pear blossom petals in a storm. It lasted only a moment, but it left a trail of dust that soon cleared, revealing the aftermath.

Everyone slowly opened their eyes.

"What kind of ninjutsu is this?" Naruto gasped. "It's so dazzling!"

"Can light actually be used as an attack?" Sakura murmured, her eyes wide with amazement.

"I want to learn this ninjutsu from Teacher Kirito!" Naruto exclaimed, a grin spreading across his face.

"Did he win?" Sasuke asked, his voice tinged with awe as he clenched his fists in admiration.

"I can't believe it… one hit?" Sakura added in disbelief.

Zabuza and Haku, still in shock, opened their eyes to see the aftermath. The place where Mei Terumi had stood was now in ruins, with no part of the ground left untouched. Mei herself was lying in a deep crater, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth as she struggled to rise.

She glared at Kirito, her eyes filled with confusion and disbelief. The attack had been too quick, too strong, and she had been caught off guard.

Mei's blue dress was torn, exposing her legs, and she pushed herself to stand, her jade hands braced against the ground. She stared at Kirito, who remained composed, his face expressionless.

"You lost," Kirito spoke calmly, his voice carrying across the field. "But I have no interest in killing you. You may go."

With that, he turned and began walking toward Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke.

Mei Terumi's eyes were full of reluctance, but she couldn't deny the reality of her defeat. Her gaze lingered on Kirito's back—a solitary, proud figure. Then, with a quick hand sign, she disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Zabuza and Haku were still reeling from the spectacle they had just witnessed. The man who had seemed like a simple fighter had just defeated a Kage-level ninja with a single strike of unfamiliar ninjutsu.

They exhaled in relief.

"Follow me," Kirito ordered, breaking them from their stupor.

Zabuza and Haku, now completely awestruck, nodded and followed him without hesitation.

"What do you need from us, Mr. Kirito?" Zabuza asked, his tone no longer the cocky defiance it once held.

"Don't worry," Kirito smiled. "There's nothing to be nervous about. For now, I just need you two to do one thing."

Zabuza and Haku exchanged confused looks.

"Fishing?" Zabuza asked in disbelief.

"Yes, fishing," Kirito replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

The two men stared blankly, unsure of what to make of this request.

Seeing their confused expressions, Kirito clarified, "Don't worry about it. Just follow me."

Before they could respond, the ethereal voice of the system echoed in Kirito's mind.

*Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully recruiting Zabuza and Haku into your ranks.*

*Ding! The two have become members of your slacking team.*

*Ding! Reward: 10 Den Den Mushi.*

*Ding! Reward: 5% Kizaru template progress.*

*Ding! The mission is complete. Keep up the slacking concept.*

With a smile, Kirito handed them each a Den Den Mushi and explained how to use it. Then, without another word, Zabuza and Haku disappeared, leaving Naruto and the others still in shock at what had just transpired.