Chapter 29: Genius?

"Interesting kid," muttered the Sunagakure jōnin, a faint smile playing on his lips as he watched Mirai in action. The young shinobi, seemingly fresh out of the Academy, had forced him to change his approach—a rare occurrence.

This kid wasn't just skilled. His timing was impeccable, and the way he'd spoken earlier, it was as if he hadn't even considered the jōnin a threat. A thrill crept into the Sunagakure ninja's mind: making this cocky brat show some despair could be fun.

With a cold smile, he sneered, "Impressive skills for a kid, but don't think that makes you any match for a jōnin. Get ready to tremble. Get ready to fear!"

The jōnin unleashed a chilling killing intent, but Mirai only gave a scoff, his face unreadable.

"Idiot," he muttered.

"Arrogant brat! I'll show you who's the idiot!" Enraged, the Sunagakure jōnin lunged at Mirai, kunai in hand.

"Wind Style: Blade of Wind!"

"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"

The jōnin's razor-sharp wind blade collided with a wall of earth, sending up clouds of dust and debris. When the dust settled, he was right next to Mirai.

Clang!

Sparks flew as his kunai clashed with Mirai's blade. The jōnin was shocked—Mirai's reaction speed was astonishing. But before he could plan his next move, Mirai had already swung his blade toward his neck.

The jōnin raised his steel kunai to block, his mind instinctively preparing his next step. But in the instant the kunai touched Mirai's blade, it shattered effortlessly.

Swish!

With a desperate dodge, the jōnin narrowly avoided the strike, but a deep gash appeared on his chest, exposing bone.

Thud!

A dull pain shot through his stomach as Mirai kicked him hard, sending him crashing to the ground.

"Run!"

The jōnin's survival instincts kicked in. This brat was far stronger than he'd anticipated. Staying to fight would mean certain death. He had to escape!

He began forming seals to prepare a Body Flicker Technique and a Body Replacement Technique for his retreat. But just then, something changed.

Mirai's eyes gleamed a menacing red—the Sharingan's three tomoe spun in his gaze.

The Sunagakure jōnin's heart froze, his mind clouding over. A flash of lightning erupted in front of him.

"Chidori!"

He stared in shock as Mirai's hand pierced his chest, blood and fragments of organs splattering out. His vision blurred, fading into darkness as disbelief and regret filled his final moments.

Ding! Congratulations to the Host! Reward: Chakra +1

Mirai let out a frustrated sigh at the system's message. He had hoped taking down a jōnin would yield better rewards. But the system was treating it no differently than a regular kill—ridiculously low return on investment.

"We won!" Kurenai shouted, rushing to Mirai's side. "That was a jōnin! You took him down so easily!"

She looked up at him in awe, her eyes shining. "Mirai, how did your blade cut right through his kunai?"

Kurenai's question was filled with curiosity. In the heat of battle, that decisive strike had turned the tide. Without it, the jōnin would have been far harder to defeat.

"It's simple, Kurenai. By channeling Wind Style chakra into your weapon, you can enhance its cutting power. Sometimes, adding it at just the right moment can make all the difference in a fight," Mirai explained patiently.

The steel kunai had been no match for his blade once it was infused with Wind Style chakra—it was like cutting through tofu.

Kurenai's eyes widened in amazement. "You're a genius, Mirai..."

Mirai chuckled, reaching out to tousle her hair. "Genius? That's just the starting line."

Kurenai's eyes sparkled with admiration. She loved when he showed off so naturally—it was just… smooth.

"When you learn to master chakra nature and shape transformation, you'll be able to do it too," he added with a grin.

"Mm!"

"Alright, let's clear the battlefield." Mirai glanced down at the lifeless body of the Sunagakure jōnin. "And watch out for any traps on him."

"Got it."

Asuma, watching from a distance, felt a strange sensation of disbelief. The jōnin who'd nearly broken him down mentally had just been dispatched by Mirai without a second thought.

"Don't judge my opponents by what you think they're capable of," Mirai's words echoed in his mind, filling Asuma with a bitter understanding.

Maybe Kurenai's choice wasn't wrong after all. Compared to Mirai, he was just… lacking in every way.

...

Sunagakure - Frontline Command Tent

In the main tent, Chiyo's face was grim as she reviewed the intelligence scroll. The surrounding Sunagakure ninja remained silent, a heavy tension filling the air.

Their attempts to weaken Konoha hadn't gone well recently. Instead of securing valuable intel, they had suffered significant losses. At first, it was just genin and chūnin teams, but now even jōnin were disappearing.

Each jōnin was crucial to the village, and such losses couldn't be sustained.

"Rasa!"

"Yes, counsellor Chiyo," replied Rasa, standing stiffly at attention.

"Take two jōnin with you and form an assassination team. Teach Konoha a lesson."

"Understood!" Though his face showed resolve, Rasa couldn't hide a hint of nervousness.

Sensing his unease, Chiyo's voice softened. "With the Third Kazekage missing, the village needs a strong, respected leader to step up as the Fourth."

"You are a wielder of Magnet Release. Don't let me down."

Rasa's heart raced. Becoming Kazekage had always been his dream, yet he had never dared to hope. The sudden disappearance of the Third Kazekage had cracked open an opportunity.

He knew he wasn't particularly notable in the village, lacking any substantial backing. But now… Chiyo, the most influential figure in Sunagakure, was supporting him openly!

Leaving the tent, Rasa felt as if he were in a dream, Chiyo's words echoing in his mind, igniting his resolve.

This battle against Konoha could be the breakthrough he needed. If he could amass enough merit and keep Chiyo's support, his path to becoming the Fourth Kazekage would be within reach!

With renewed determination, Rasa selected two jōnin and sped off toward Konoha.

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