At the same time, approximately four to five kilometers from Mizuki Ryosuke's location, Takeda Yoichi lay unconscious on the damp forest ground, his body unmoving. A shadowy figure, hunched beneath a black robe, crouched beside him, its eerie, rasping breath cutting through the silence.
"Hiss… sizzle…"
A peculiar sound escaped the figure's concealed mouth, resembling a sinister chuckle. Then, from beneath the black robe, a clawed hand emerged—its fur-covered fingers extending, revealing five gleaming, razor-sharp talons.
"They should be here soon," the figure murmured, its voice oddly distorted. "Meow… time to get ready."
With an almost careless motion, the figure tore off the forehead protector from Takeda Yoichi and tossed it aside before effortlessly slinging the unconscious ninja over its shoulder and vanishing into the dense mist.
Meanwhile, in the thick fog, Mizuki Ryosuke's team pressed forward, carefully following the trail that Ryosuke had sensed through his finely tuned perception. However, their advance was far from smooth.
Without warning, volleys of hidden weapons repeatedly launched from within the fog, striking from unpredictable angles. But upon closer inspection, Mizuki Ryosuke quickly deduced that these were merely pre-set traps meant to hinder them rather than an active enemy ambush.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
With swift, precise movements, Mizuki Ryosuke deflected the incoming barrage of shuriken and kunai using an ice kunai in his hand, the chilled metal glinting as it effortlessly blocked the projectiles. In response, he casually hurled his kunai toward the origin of the attack.
Clang!
A distinct metallic sound echoed as the kunai struck a hidden launching device concealed among the treetops, causing it to drop to the ground. The realization that these traps had been placed in advance confirmed that their enemies had anticipated their movements and sought to slow them down.
Mizuki Mitsuhiko furrowed his brows, beginning to feel uneasy. The continuous delays made him wonder whether they still had a realistic chance of rescuing Takeda Yoichi. The thought of persuading Ryosuke to abandon the mission crossed his mind, but before he could voice his concerns—
Ryosuke suddenly raised a single finger in a sharp motion, signaling the team to halt. Without hesitation, he gestured for Terumi Mei and Mizuki Mitsuhiko to take positions on either side of the path. The two immediately understood his intent and swiftly concealed themselves within the fog-covered foliage.
At the same time, Ryosuke silently weaved a single-handed seal and sank into the ground using Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole Technique, seamlessly vanishing beneath the earth's surface.
Moments later, two figures emerged into the clearing, their forms obscured by the dense mist. Though Mizuki Ryosuke couldn't see them clearly, he knew that in a situation like this, hesitation was not an option.
Beneath the earth, he carefully positioned himself behind them. Then, in one swift motion—
Earth Release: Yellow Spring Marsh!
The ground beneath the two figures abruptly softened, turning into a viscous, sinking bog. The sudden suction force dragged them down, restricting their movements.
Without missing a beat, Mizuki Mitsuhiko and Terumi Mei launched their attacks in perfect synchronization.
Fire Release: Great Eruption!
Ice Release: Thousand Frozen Books!
A blazing inferno surged forward from Terumi Mei's position, while a barrage of razor-sharp ice projectiles rained down from Mizuki Mitsuhiko's side. Caught in a pincer attack, the two enemy ninjas appeared to be doomed—
But just as the attacks were about to land, one of the figures rapidly formed a series of hand seals. In an instant, a towering wall of water surged upward, enveloping both of them in a swirling vortex.
Water Release: Water Formation Wall!
A massive barrier of compressed water materialized, absorbing the full impact of both the fire and ice attacks. The clash of elements sent steam billowing into the fog-covered surroundings.
Boom!
A violent explosion erupted from the collision of fire and water, sending debris flying into the air. In the chaos, the enemy duo managed to break free from the Yellow Spring Marsh and retreat to a defensive stance.
As the steam and smoke began to clear, Mizuki Ryosuke narrowed his eyes, recognizing the skill behind that Water Release technique. It had been executed swiftly yet with immense precision—a sign that their opponents were no ordinary shinobi.
Instead of counterattacking, however, the two figures merely observed Ryosuke's team, subtly maneuvering backward into the mist.
Ryosuke, sensing that something was amiss, did not rush forward recklessly. Instead, he advanced cautiously, his instincts warning him that this encounter was more than just an ambush.
As the mist thinned slightly, Ryosuke's gaze finally settled on the features of one of the figures.
Mizuki Ryosuke, you're here too.
The voice was smooth yet carried an unmistakable sharpness. A fair-skinned young man with delicate, almost androgynous features stood before him, his pale, ear-length hair swaying gently.
Hōzuki Mangetsu.
The prodigy of the Hōzuki Clan, a master of all seven blades of the Mist, and a candidate for the next Mizukage.
Beside Mangetsu stood another formidable figure—one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, wielding a massive, explosive-tipped blade. The earlier detonation had clearly been the work of this swordsman's unique weapon, Blastsword: Shibuki.
Ryosuke's sharp eyes quickly scanned the area, noting the absence of the other two members of Mangetsu's team. It was evident that, much like his own squad, Mangetsu's group had been forcibly separated.
This realization solidified a suspicion Ryosuke had harbored for some time now.
The missions assigned to all three teams were identical.
The unspoken truth of the Mizukage Assessment was now laid bare. Only the team that completed the mission first would be deemed worthy of succeeding the current Mizukage.
In other words, Mangetsu and I are now direct rivals.
Mangetsu, having noticed that Ryosuke's team was also missing a member, smirked slightly, a glint of excitement in his eyes.
"How about it?" he proposed, his tone casual but laced with competitive tension.
"Want to exchange information?"
It was an unspoken rule among skilled shinobi—when two sides were at an impasse and direct confrontation would only benefit a third party, negotiation became the next best strategy.
And in this moment, both Mangetsu and Ryosuke understood that neither could afford unnecessary losses this early in the trial.
Ryosuke studied his counterpart for a brief moment before smiling faintly.
"Fine."
Mangetsu wasted no time. "What's your mission?"
The directness of his question reflected the mutual respect between two highly intelligent individuals—there was no need for deception.
Ryosuke met his gaze evenly.
"Mizukage's Scroll."
Mangetsu's smirk widened. "Same."
In that instant, the two shinobi reached a mutual understanding.
Now, the real contest would begin.
JOIN MY PATREON TO READ ADVANCE 70+ CHAPTERS
Patreon.com/Kora_1