PCHOMPF!
Takeshi fell heavily to the ground, landing on a carpet of dead leaves. He now understood why the Fourth Hokage used special kunai with this technique.
His weapon had detached from the intended target, which earned him this clumsy fall.
He stood up, dusting himself off before picking up his bag that had landed a bit farther away. The journey to Kumo would be relatively long; according to his estimates and the details from the original work, it should take between 7 to 10 days on average.
"Alright, let's get going," Takeshi muttered as he began his trek.
For someone about to trigger a war, he was remarkably calm. His objective was indeed to spark a full-scale war, and as for choosing Kumo, it was simply because he couldn't stand the Raikage's arrogance… and they had also captured one of his past flings, robbing him of the chance to enjoy himself.
Why should he let these insolent fools deprive him of his happiness?
All it takes is a bruised ego for thousands to die without understanding why.
That's exactly what was about to happen — just so Takeshi could earn a few merit points, many would have to cross over to the afterlife.
The scent of pine and damp earth filled the air as Takeshi moved quickly — but a sudden tension froze him in place.
A Konoha jōnin, tall and lean, burst from a thicket, eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"Identify yourself!" he barked, hand gripping a kunai.
It was really the worst time for a fight to break out, because the young ninja didn't want to attract unnecessary attention.
Takeshi, his face hidden in shadow, said nothing, fingers brushing the hilt of his katana. The jōnin, interpreting the silence as a threat, charged without warning.
He struck first, his kunai aiming for Takeshi's face. Takeshi dodged with a sidestep, feinting retreat, then countered with a knee to the ribs.
The jōnin dropped his weapon but blocked with his forearm, the impact humming in the cold air. Takeshi came in again, spinning with an elbow aimed at the temple, but his agile opponent blocked and swept Takeshi's legs.
"Bastard,"
Takeshi jumped, his heel grazing the ground, and launched a sharp uppercut.
Argh
He stepped back, blood beading at his lip, suspicion hardening in his gaze. Their taijutsu exchange escalated — a brutal dance of feints and strikes.
Takeshi feinted a punch but launched a spinning kick that grazed the jōnin's jaw.
"Think you can get away with this?"
His fists fired like a storm, forcing Takeshi to guard with his forearms, pain radiating to his shoulders.
The jōnin attempted a grapple, going for Takeshi's arm, but Takeshi spun free, landing a punch on the man's collarbone.
A dull crack echoed, but the hardened shinobi didn't flinch.
The tide turned. The jōnin formed a seal, the ground trembling beneath his feet.
"Suiton: Surging Wave!"
A torrent of water erupted, roaring as it swept through the underbrush. Takeshi quickly used the Body Flicker Technique, reappearing on a branch ten meters away, katana drawn.
"Dude, why so sensitive? We were just having a little fun…"
Takeshi finally spoke, his blade gleaming under the morning light.
Without another word, he dove, targeting the jōnin's side. The latter, anticipating, activated his own Body Flicker, vanishing in a swirl of leaves. Sensing danger, Takeshi threw a kunai marked with a Flying Thunder God seal into a nearby tree — his body teleporting instantly at the impact.
The jōnin reappeared with a kunai sharp as a razor, lunging for Takeshi's throat. Takeshi blocked with his katana, sparks flying from the clash.
This fight was a testament to how much Takeshi had improved. The days when he had to avoid direct confrontation with jōnin were over. He hadn't even used fifty percent of his strength yet, and he was already holding his own.
"Suiton: Water Prison!"
A sphere of water engulfed Takeshi, suffocating him, his lungs burning from the pressure. But contrary to his enemy's expectations, he remained calm — even managing to smile in this situation.
"You won't be laughing for long…" the jōnin growled.
But what he saw next nearly made him cough up blood. The young ninja had teleported away, completely ignoring the water prison.
This technique was amazing — and it gave him a ridiculously cool aura.
The water collapsed, splashing the ground.
"How about we take things up a notch…" Takeshi sneered.
He charged without hesitation, katana flashing. He feinted high but dipped low, targeting the legs.
The jōnin, caught off guard, summoned a wall of water to block — but Takeshi, already predicting the move, used Body Flicker again, appearing behind him.
"No point in resisting — you're simply outmatched…"
His blade slashed the man's shoulder, blood spraying onto the fallen leaves. Pain radiated through the jōnin's body, drawing a pained groan.
At that moment, he understood — his opponent was no pushover. If he wanted to get out of this alive, he'd have to go all in.