The Mist Forest was a slaughterhouse, its shadows thick with death. Ye Liangnai's rampage had sent shockwaves through Kirigakure, his kill count a grim testament to his newfound power. The village's high command, watching through water mirrors, was in a panic.
"Send someone to stop him!" a senior official barked at the ANBU. "Tell him he's passed with flying colors—no more killing!"
Kirigakure's graduation exam was brutal, but losing all but one candidate would be catastrophic.
A Chunin slapped his thigh, his face paling. "Damn it! He's heading toward Ringo Ameyuri, Suigetsu Hozuki, and Shima Isshin!"
The room tensed. "Those four colliding? That's a disaster waiting to happen!"
Why? Ringo, Suigetsu, and Shima had racked up thirty-five kills combined. Ye Liangnai, with thirteen, was no less bloodthirsty. If these four clashed, peace was impossible.
The worst-case scenario? They'd all die, and Kirigakure would lose its most promising talents.
Inside the Forest
"Spare me! I don't want to die!" a Genin sobbed, cowering before Ye Liangnai.
"Big brother, I messed up! I shouldn't have targeted you!" another pleaded, his voice breaking.
Ye Liangnai's crimson eyes were cold. "Begging now? Too late."
He wasn't bloodthirsty by nature, but this was Kirigakure. Let these shinobi live, and they'd stab him in the back the moment he turned. His katana flashed, and their pleas turned to silence.
"He's a demon!" a fleeing Genin screamed. "Don't cross the White Blade Shura!"
The name spread like wildfire—White Blade Shura. Ye Liangnai's reputation was no longer "dead last." It was terror incarnate.
Ringo Ameyuri's ears perked at the news, her grin feral. "White Blade Shura? Sounds like a challenge. You guys in?"
Suigetsu Hozuki's shark-like teeth gleamed. "Hell yeah."
Shima Isshin, a Chunin who'd earned Ringo's respect in battle and joined their hunt, nodded with a smirk. "Count me in."
Three Chunin, their combined strength enough to trouble a Special Jonin. This wasn't a fight—it was a reckoning.
The Clearing
"Well, damn," Ye Liangnai said, wiping sweat from his brow. "Didn't expect you three to come knocking."
He'd just hit thirty kills, his katana still warm with blood. Now, Ringo, Suigetsu, and Shima stood before him, their presence a storm of killing intent.
"White Blade Shura," Ringo purred, her eyes blazing. "Let's see what you're made of."
"Fight like you mean to kill us," Suigetsu added, his grin savage.
Shima's voice was low, impressed. "You hid your strength well. Color me surprised."
Without warning, they charged.
"Genjutsu: Binding Illusion!"
Ye Liangnai's hands flashed, his crimson eyes flaring. The trio froze, their bodies locked as the illusion gripped their minds. Panic flickered in their eyes—they surged their chakra, desperate to break free.
But Ye Liangnai wasn't playing games.
Binding Illusion drained more chakra the stronger the target, and controlling three Chunin-level shinobi was pushing his limits. He didn't need to outlast them—just outsmart them.
"Hawk Flash!"
He moved like a phantom, his katana a silver streak as he darted past. Shlck! Blood sprayed from their chests, the trio collapsing in unison, their eyes wide with shock.
They'd been inches from death. A fraction closer, and their throats would've been slit.
Ye Liangnai exhaled, his breath slightly ragged. Controlling three peers at once was no joke. He met their stunned gazes, his voice dripping with arrogance. "I could've killed you. But you're too talented to waste—yet. Keep your heads on your necks for now."
He leaned in, his smirk sharp. "Remember this humiliation. Get stronger. Next time you face me, I won't hold back."
Ringo's face twisted with fury. "Don't underestimate me, you bastard!" She lunged, her kunai flashing, but a shadow intervened.
An ANBU materialized, their presence cold and commanding. They swept their gaze over the trio. "Ringo Ameyuri, Suigetsu Hozuki, Shima Isshin, Ye Liangnai—your exam is over. You've passed."
Their voice turned lethal. "Cause trouble, and you die."
"Tch, boring," Ringo spat, her anger barely contained. She shot Ye Liangnai a venomous glare. "You'll beg for mercy one day, asshole."
Ye Liangnai ignored her, his eyes on the ANBU. "What's this about?"
The ANBU's tone was flat. "Ye Liangnai, come with us."
He stepped back, his hand hovering over his katana. "Why?"
"Your performance is… inconsistent with your records. We need to verify your identity. Lady Terumi Mei remains detained until you're cleared."
Ye Liangnai's grip relaxed, his blade sliding back into its sheath. "Fine. Let's go."
The ANBU's words carried a subtle message: We're with Mei. Trust us. Kirigakure's identity verification was straightforward—blood gene analysis. Ye Liangnai had nothing to fear.
Outside the Forest
"Elders, Ye Liangnai is here," the ANBU announced, presenting him to the gathered high command.
Ye Liangnai's gaze swept the crowd, landing on a greasy, smug figure—Chinda Takaya. The man's eyes burned with malicious glee, his smirk practically oozing. What's with this creep? Ye Liangnai thought, a chill running down his spine.
Then he saw Terumi Mei, flanked by two ANBU but standing tall, unshaken. Her glance was brief but warm, a flicker of pride in her emerald eyes.
A shinobi behind Takaya stepped forward, his voice a snarl. "Speak now, impostor! Admit who you are. Substituting a candidate is a death sentence!"
Ye Liangnai arched a brow, his tone cool. "I'm Ye Liangnai. No fakes here. Test me if you want—guaranteed authentic."
He leaned in, his grin sharp. "But if you're wrong, I expect an apology. A big one."
The shinobi's eyes narrowed, his sneer venomous. "Tough talk for a fraud. Intelligence Division, strip him down. Let's see his true face!"
Two shinobi, their faces hard and unfriendly, approached. Takaya turned to Mei, gloating. "Such a clumsy cheat, Mei. This'll tarnish your name forever."
His lackey chimed in, all sycophantic zeal. "Yeah, pathetic! Your reputation's done!"
Mei's gaze was withering. "Jumping to conclusions already, Takaya? Save it. You'll look like a fool when the results come in."
Her words were razor-sharp, and Takaya's face flushed with rage, his teeth grinding. "Laugh while you can! That's not your brother!"
He refused to believe the White Blade Shura was the real Ye Liangnai. "It's a fake!" he muttered, clinging to denial.
The surrounding shinobi buzzed with excitement, their whispers a mix of doubt and intrigue. "Is he really a fraud? This'll be good."
"A miracle… or a power shift. Either way, it's a show."