"Eh…"
Raizen shook his head, watching the Five-Tails vanish into the wind. Freedom, at least for now. It didn't matter—tail beasts were hardly going to cooperate willingly. Of course, Raizen had no illusions; once he became strong enough, these creatures would serve as living nukes, weapons to end wars. But first, he had to grow stronger. Every plan rested on that foundation.
Step one: survive. Step two: get strong enough to make everything else happen. Easy-peasy.
A faint, weak voice reached him.
"Your Excellency… you… defeated… a tail beast…"
Raizen turned and saw a middle-aged man, blood trickling from his mouth, eyes filled with both pain and awe. It was the ninja who'd attempted to capture Five-Tails—and miraculously, he hadn't been obliterated by the beast's last kick.
"Who are you? Why were you trying to capture Five-Tails?" Raizen asked, curiosity piqued.
"Ahem… I am from a minor family in the Land of Earth," the man coughed, spitting blood. "Ordered to capture Five-Tails… didn't expect it to be… this powerful." He fumbled in his robe and pulled out a scroll, scrawling a single line in his own blood. There was a desperate gleam in his eyes.
"Your Excellency… with strength like yours… I have a request," he whispered.
"A request?" Raizen raised an eyebrow.
The man placed the blood-written scroll on the ground. "Go to my family… tell them the mission failed. In return… these ninjutsu scrolls will be yours."
Raizen's gaze landed on three scrolls beside him—the very scrolls used to bind Five-Tails. Not bad. No pressing plans of his own… a trip to the Land of Earth could be interesting.
He nodded. The man smiled faintly before closing his eyes. Raizen collected the scrolls, examined the information about the ninja family—Morishi Clan, on the border of the Land of Fire. Tactical location, capable clan.
The middle-aged man's body remained, but his presence lingered oddly… and then vanished into the valley. Moments later, Raizen sensed a flicker of life—or something else—in the dead man's eyes. Greed. Interest. Then gone.
Raizen moved out of the valley, glancing back with a faint smirk before soaring toward the Morishi Clan. Soon, a canyon appeared, and atop it, a large cottage with a triangular clan emblem: the Senyi Clan.
Before Raizen could approach, two ninja blocked his path. Smiling faintly, he produced one of the scrolls.
"I was sent by a member of your clan to deliver this letter. I wish to meet your patriarch."
The Genin's eyes widened, then relaxed. Shadows shifted, and five or six more ninja appeared, surrounding him. Raizen's smirk deepened. He tossed the scrolls to them without resistance. Casual inspection followed—eyes flicking to him, measuring, calculating.
Then, weapons were drawn. From the cottage, a group of people emerged—one familiar figure among them.
"Your Excellency… we meet again," said the middle-aged man, alive and unscathed, smiling at Raizen.
"Yeah… again," Raizen replied.
The man's smile faltered. "Don't you know what awaits?"
Raizen shrugged, voice casual. "Knowing doesn't change much. You're all going to die anyway."
A flash of anger crossed the man's face. "Die…?! You're fearless! If you want to leave this valley intact, hand over your powerful Buddha ninjutsu—or else!"
Raizen chuckled, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "You want it? Beat me. My Sage Art… yours if you can survive it."
"Stubborn!" the man barked, signaling the clan ninja to charge.
Raizen flexed, stretching with a sardonic smile. "Perfect. I was just frustrated with Five-Tails. Let's train."
"Eight Inner Gates… Dumen… OPEN!"
His body radiated raw Chakra. Blood rushed to his face, muscles tensing, clothes rustling as the energy surged. Raizen's eyes flicked to the Sen Genin surrounding him.
"Next… feel despair."
In a flash, he surged forward, blurring across the ground. The middle-aged man's eyes narrowed, sensing trouble.
"Hurry! Take him down!" he barked.
"Yes!" The ninjas lunged, weapons ready. But Raizen had already become the storm.
...
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