NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 56: Chapter 56
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The gap between a Chunin and a Jonin isn't something you can just overlook.
Sure, the three of them weren't exactly weak compared to your average Chunin.
But still—
Jumping into that mess without a solid plan? They'd only make things worse.
As Kisui and Tamamaru, two Mist Village Jonin, made their way toward where Yuhi Shin was staying, ten other Mist ninjas, led by Nakamura Kazuo, had already arrived at the door to Tetsuya Fujiwara's room.
Listening for any signs of life inside, several waves of poisonous gas seeped through the cracks in the door, creeping steadily toward the deeper parts of the room.
"Move in!"
Seconds later, on the command of one particularly special Jonin, several Mist ninjas kicked down the door, unleashing a barrage of kunai and shuriken toward the wooden bed.
The sharp clinks of metal striking wood echoed through the narrow space of the ship's belly, the sound bouncing off the walls, stirring those sleeping nearby.
Yet no one—the crew, the passengers—dared even to open their doors for a peek.
"Wait—this isn't right! We've been tricked!"
Just as a few of the Mist ninjas moved to pull back the blankets, the shredded bodies they had been targeting morphed into splintered wooden logs.
"Disturbing people's sleep in the middle of the night? That's just plain rude."
A deep, almost lazy voice rang out.
From the ceiling, an insect dropped to the ground, transforming into a perfect replica of Tetsuya Fujiwara as the Mist ninjas focused all their attention on the now-empty room.
Seizing the brief window of distraction, Tetsuya lunged forward, his kunai slicing clean through the throat of one of the Chunin.
"It's you! The little brat from Konoha!"
Seeing his comrade drop, Nakamura Kazuo's face twisted in rage, teeth grinding as his gaze landed on Tetsuya.
"Yo, Uncle Kazuo. I knew it. You're the Mist's mole after all, huh?"
Wiping the blood off his kunai, Tetsuya's lips curved into a smirk, tauntingly.
As he casually backed away, he took in the sheer number of enemies. Too many. And this ship was just too damn narrow.
A head-on fight here? Yeah, not happening.
"Who are you, really, kid?" Nakamura's voice dropped dangerously low. "Someone with your skills doesn't stay in the shadows. You're no nobody."
"Oh, my bad. Guess I forgot to introduce myself properly." Tetsuya's eyes gleamed with amusement. "The name's Fujiwara, not Tanaka. Fujiwara Tetsuya."
"Fujiwara… Tetsuya?"
"The one who took first in the Chunin Exams? That Fujiwara Tetsuya?"
As word of the Chunin Exams spread back to the villages, Tetsuya Fujiwara's name had become known far and wide. No longer just some nameless rookie.
As shinobi, they understood what that name meant. What kind of threat it posed.
"Kid, your strength and cunning are impressive, I'll give you that," Nakamura said, slowly, his voice edged with bitterness. "But this is where your journey ends. There's no way you're getting out of here alive."
"Is that so, Uncle Kazuo? You seem pretty confident." Tetsuya's smile didn't waver. "But aren't you even a little curious? Where did my two companions disappear to?"
"Go ahead—take a look behind you."
The moment his words landed, faint footsteps echoed from the end of the corridor.
That sound immediately caught the attention of several Mist ninjas, who instinctively turned their heads.
"Don't look into her eyes!"
The Mist's special Jonin shouted in alarm, realizing Tetsuya's trap.
But by then, it was already too late.
In the split second their gazes met Uchiha Mikoto's, several Mist ninjas fell straight into the grasp of her Sharingan.
Illusions are damn handy, huh?
In just three seconds, Tetsuya had already dispatched three Mist Chunin.
"Damn it!"
"Kazuo! Leave that Uchiha brat to me. You go handle the bug-using one!"
"You lot, take care of this kid! Now!"
The slaughter Tetsuya unleashed was fraying the nerves of the Mist's special Jonin. He barked his orders, barely keeping his temper in check.
The battle intensified. With the skirmish narrowing into close-quarters combat, the pressure on Tetsuya, Mikoto, and Aburame Muto ramped up significantly.
Clink!
A flurry of kunai flew toward Tetsuya, who deflected them just as five Mist ninjas circled him, closing in.
"Come on, you Mist trash! If you've got guts, follow me!"
With a sharp glance around him, Tetsuya vanished in a flicker, escaping the encirclement. He sped down the corridor toward the deck.
"After him!"
Not far behind, Uchiha Mikoto and Aburame Muto, now covered by Muto's swarm of insects, also broke free from their fights and rushed after him.
———
At the starboard side of the ship—
Kisui and Tamamaru had reached Yuhi Shin's cabin, but the veteran Jonin was already fully aware of their approach.
As one of Konoha's most seasoned Jonin, even against two Mist Jonin attacking in tandem, Shin didn't show a hint of panic.
"Hey, Heiji! Namihana! You two, go find Tetsuya and the others!"
"I'll take care of these two and join you as soon as I can."
The cramped quarters made it difficult for Shin to fight at full strength, but it wasn't any easier for Kisui and Tamamaru.
Caught between Shin's swift and unpredictable strikes, they had no choice but to let Uzumaki Heiji and Uzumaki Namihana slip past them.
They needed to focus all their efforts on handling Shin.
…
Up on the deck—
Tetsuya barely had time to catch his breath before Mikoto and Muto arrived, right as the situation was quickly tipping into a three-versus-seven fight.
"Muto! Can you handle that special Jonin for a bit?"
"The special Jonin, huh?"
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