Almost no one would associate this thing with the Scalpel, because it hardly possesses any characteristics of the typical Scalpel.
The Scalpel is supposed to be hidden within the palm, yet this dagger reveals itself with an openly sharp edge.
If an ordinary Scalpel could be seen as a quiet lady, capable of slicing through tissue and veins beneath the skin without spilling a single drop of blood, then the Scalpel in Shiki's hand was more like that of a butcher—aggressively slicing apart anything it touched.
Within just a few minutes, these jackals who had long forgotten the fear of life and death truly lost their lives.
It was like a harvest—no one resisted. The green dagger and the pure white sword swung ceaselessly, sending blood and body parts flying like leaves and snowflakes caught in the wind.
Just how eerie and horrifying was that scene?
The scene came to a halt. There were no enemies left on the battlefield. Even the bandit leader stood rooted to the spot, awaiting his fate.
He had already resigned himself to his fate.
Even those kids who seemed harmless at first glance were completely different from what he remembered.
These kids weren't people whose lives were decided by others—they were the ones who decided others' fates.
Once upon a time, he too held such authority. But now, everything has reversed. He couldn't even muster the will to resist.
Shasha!
Yuuma Akimoto's footsteps were unusually light, just like a gentle breeze rustling the treetops. Yet her pale face didn't share the same gracefulness as her steps.
Ugh!
Yuuma leaned against a tree, vomiting violently. She had been holding back for a long time but still waited until everyone had fallen.
Indeed, killing was never as easy as stories make it seem. Although Yuuma had only passively defended herself, one bandit after another sustained serious injuries under her hands.
Yet the next moment, another dagger formed entirely of blue chakra would pierce through these defenseless bodies.
Blood spurted out instantly, revealing even the layer of white fatty tissue beneath the skin.
Even Seiji Ito looked somewhat pale, but he still managed to say, "That was exciting."
As he turned his head toward Uzumaki Shiki, he found that Shiki showed not the slightest change in expression, as if he were naturally accustomed to slaughter.
A samurai fears nothing once his blade is drawn—it's sheer conviction that keeps him going.
In fact, when Shiki first witnessed such carnage, he threw up too. His reaction wasn't any less intense than Yuuma's.
Only those who've never walked in blood believe they'd carry no guilt after taking a life.
However, for Shiki, not fearing to kill someone wasn't something worth boasting about at all. Instead, what caught his attention was something else entirely—
the "Red Devil" mentioned by the bandit chief.
Of course, Shiki knew that merely his performance moments ago wouldn't cause that middle-aged man to tremble in terror and label him a devil.
These people who killed without hesitation treated slaughter as entertainment—stories they'd one day swap around a fire, laughing over drinks.
Shiki ignored the reactions of the surrounding people and walked directly to the bandit leader, asking, "Who exactly is this 'Red Devil' you mentioned?"
Hayate Gekko didn't stop Shiki from taking such a dangerous action. Actually, the reason he hadn't intervened until now was specifically to leave the bandit leader for Shiki to practice on.
After all, only an opponent at your own level could serve as effective training material.
Seeing that red-haired child dare to walk right in front of him without hesitation. Although the previous battle had already proven that this man's seemingly slender body actually contained tremendous strength.
But the bandit leader realized there was still a chance. At this point, he'd already accepted that his fate was death.
Yet if he could take down a young ninja who appeared to have great potential along with him, it would be worth it.
The bandit leader gradually and cautiously moved his right hand toward his waist. There was another tanto hidden there, and at this distance, a short blade would undoubtedly be more effective.
"Why should I tell you?"
Shiki frowned slightly. "I can let you go, and even give you some money."
"Don't try to fool me! You think I'm stupid enough to fall for that kind of trickery? You might pull one over on some girl, but don't think you can fool me so easily. Come back and try again in another twenty or thirty years!" The older man revealed the sharpness and cunning appropriate to his age.
To him, what Shiki said sounded like absurd fantasy. Someone like himself, who had clawed his way out of the gutter, naturally could instantly recognize such lies.
Shiki furrowed his brow even deeper. He hadn't expected this middle-aged man dressed in coarse cloth could identify the deception so quickly, not even needing to pause for thought.
"Seems like this kind of person really is hard to deal with."
Shiki had never intended to spare this trash anyway; he just wanted to obtain the information he needed. Once he got it, his [Scalpel] would pierce this man before him without hesitation.
It wasn't that he wanted to go back on his word—it was just pointless to be honest with scum like this. The truest way to strike back at them was by protecting every decent soul in the world.
At this point, Shiki pursed his lips. He wanted to act, but he also wanted to know who this "Red Devil" the other party spoke of truly was.
Although he had already sensed that what the other said was most likely referring to Nagato. It had nothing to do with his mother, Uzumaki Qicao.
Still, Shiki couldn't help but cling to a sliver of hope—what if it really was?
Hayate Gekko watched Shiki's actions with a puzzled frown, yet he didn't intervene. Instead, he became curious about how Shiki would resolve this bandit problem.
Shiki lowered his tone and asked, "Then what do you want?"
A manic grin appeared on the bandit leader's face. "What I want? It's your life!"
As he spoke, the bandit leader pulled out his tanto and suddenly lunged toward Shiki.
Since he couldn't survive anyway, he might as well take someone else with him!
Chapter 99: A-Rank [Sword Training]
Schlick!
The sound of a blade entering flesh came, followed by one person collapsing, their life entirely extinguished.
But it wasn't Shiki.
"Not bad!" Hayate Gekko nodded approvingly.
Shiki's defensive move followed by a swift counter was exceptionally impressive. At the precise moment the blade lunged toward him, Shiki seized the bandit leader's arm with even greater speed, twisted it sharply, and redirected the tanto in the opposite direction.
It would be extremely difficult for an average chunin to pull off such a precise counter.
Shiki yanked the tanto free as the corpse, eyes frozen in shock, crumpled limply to the ground.
"It's nothing special. He just happened to face my strongest point," Shiki said evenly.
"Still, that was incredibly powerful. You don't have to downplay it," Hayate Gekko remarked, then shifted his gaze to the others. "Is everyone alright?"
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