As soon as Kaizen stepped away from Gete's lifeless body, his sharp eyes noticed shadows closing in. A small group of cultists had already found Gete, surrounding the corpse like vultures around a fallen beast.
"Gete is dead... Oh no!" one man stammered. "Can we even hunt that monster down now?"
"I think we should let him go," another whispered. "He's useless to the cult now anyway."
"Are you stupid?" a third snapped. "If he gets some ninja near our base, we're screwed!"
Their voices rose into panicked murmurs and heated arguments—half wanting to retreat, the others eager to avenge their fallen comrade.
"Enough!" A deep, commanding voice cut through the chaos like a blade. It was Liro—a towering man with hardened muscles and a sharp glare that silenced everyone. "This isn't the time to argue."
He pointed. "You two—run back and report to Priest Jaron with everything. You two—follow me. The rest, get back to the base and defend it. He's not far."
Far away from there
Kaizen, hidden behind thick foliage and trees, observed quietly. He didn't rush to escape the forest—he suspected they were lying in wait at the exit. Smart. But not smarter than him.
He made a U-turn deeper into the trees, his breath calm and movements calculated. His cheek, which had been grazed earlier, was now barely visible—a healed memory.
That's when he saw them.
Five cultists, walking back toward the base, weapons sheathed, unaware of the reaper in the woods.
He attacked like a ghost.
The first cultist fell with a silent flash of steel—a kunai buried deep in his throat. Before the others could react, Kaizen lunged at the second, slamming a foot into his back and driving his dagger into his spine. Two down.
The third tried to scream, but Kaizen flung a sharp rock into his mouth, cracking teeth and silencing him. A stab to the side, and he was done. The fourth swung blindly, but Kaizen ducked, grabbed the arm, twisted, and slit his throat.
The last one dropped his weapon and ran.
Kaizen caught up in three strides and drove the kunai into his back. All five fell in less than a minute.
Breathing evenly, Kaizen wiped the blood from the blade and melted into the shadows once more.
Meanwhile...
On the dirt road outside the forest, a panting cultist dropped to his knees before Priest Jaron.
"Priest... Kaizen... has gone rogue!" he wheezed.
Jaron's eyes narrowed. "That dog? Impossible. He's weak."
From the side, Ei clenched his fists. "He betrayed Jashin-sama? I'll gut him."
Jaron didn't flinch. "Ei. Take three of our strongest. You'll hunt him. We continue the mission."
Ei nodded, his eyes cold. "I won't fail."
As they ran back toward the forest, one boy asked, "Ei, what do you think really happened?"
"He's running from sacrifice, like a coward," Ei spat. "Jashin will punish him. I'll make sure of it."
Deeper in the woods...
Kaizen leaned against a tree, trying to regain some strength. Though the last ambush was quick, his body had grown tense, alert to every sound.
That's when he saw movement. From the shadows, Liro stepped out.
They locked eyes. The air grew thick.
"You've been a thorn long enough," Liro growled, spinning a kunai in his hand. "You can kill boys. Let's see how you do against a man."
Without waiting, Liro charged, his speed immense for his size. Kaizen barely parried the first blow with his stolen kunai. Sparks flew as metal clashed, Liro grinning with each strike.
A sudden flame burst from Liro's palm—Fireball Jutsu!
Kaizen rolled aside, but not before the heat grazed his shoulder.
-23 HP
Gritting his teeth, Kaizen slid behind a tree, clasped his hands together, and muttered under his breath.
[Prayer]
A faint glow healed his burn. Breathing steadier, Kaizen whispered, "You're not the only one with tricks."
He charged again, this time weaving between trees. Liro launched another fireball, but Kaizen disappeared from sight.
Suddenly, thin black threads lashed out from the shadows—Binding Thread.
The thread disrupted Liro's mana causing his jutsu to cancelled and his body slowed for a few seconds.
"What?! You—" Liro tried to retreat, but his body felt heavy which slows his movement.
Kaizen emerged, sliding under Liro's flailing arm and jabbing the Tonta deep into his side. Blood spurted.
"Still think I'm weak?" Kaizen hissed.
Liro roared and snapped one arm free, landing a devastating punch to Kaizen's ribs.
-31 HP
Kaizen stumbled back, coughing blood. Liro advanced, slower now from the bindings, his body twitching.
"I'll burn you—alive!" Liro's hand lit again.
Kaizen leapt forward. Just as Liro launched another fireball, Kaizen spun low, rolled through the dirt, and slashed across Liro's ankle. The flame missed.
As Liro dropped to one knee in pain, Kaizen tossed a kunai he got from the one he killed before exactly in his throat.
The big man choked, his eyes bulging in disbelief.
"I'm done running," Kaizen whispered.
He got toward Liro as he drove the Tonta toward his heart.
Liro twitched… then fell.
[Ding! You have killed Liro – Follower of Jashin]
You gained 5000 EXP
You gained: [Fireball Scroll],[ Kunai x2]
Kaizen fell to one knee, breathing hard. His body ached, his hands shook.
But he had won.
Barely.