NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 68: Chapter 68
Like a cat toying with a mouse, the Mist shinobi stood there, taunting, watching the pallor spread across Tetsuya's face with a cruel delight.
"Cough…"
"So, four of you—together—are what? Over a hundred years old?" Tetsuya's tone held a mocking edge. "And it took all that time to corner one kid like me? What's there to be so smug about?"
He staggered to his feet, glaring defiantly. "You're dragging this out because you want intel on the Water Mirror Technique, right? Too bad for you—I don't know a thing about it!"
Tetsuya's defiance sparked irritation in the Mist Jonin. He sucked in a cold breath, feeling his body sway as he tried to stand. But with his chakra drained and injuries piling up, he had little strength left to defend himself.
So this… this was what it felt like to be staring death in the face. Strangely enough, it didn't feel as terrifying as he'd imagined.
Maybe Sensei Shin had already met up with Muto and Mikoto by now. What a pity, Uncle Jiro… I never did take your advice to heart, did I?
In a seemingly clumsy gesture, he brushed his waist, secretly slipping a small communication toad into the grass at his feet.
"Is that so, kid?" The Mist Jonin sneered, catching Tetsuya's action with a sharp eye. "No matter. That's not our concern. We'll bring your head back to the Mist Village intact, and someone there will dig out everything from your brain eventually."
As he spoke, one of the Jonin drew his blade, glinting coldly, and moved it toward Tetsuya's neck. Tetsuya's eyelids drooped. He felt himself slipping into an almost peaceful acceptance.
Eight, nine months of ninja life—all because of the system. And now, this is the end.
"Stop!"
A shout, sharp and furious, sliced through the tension, followed by a scorching wave of flame that engulfed the Mist Jonin, catching them off guard. Within the brief seconds of chaos, Mikoto swept forward, slinging Tetsuya over her back and leaping away, disappearing into the fog-shrouded woods.
"Mikoto! Why did you come back?!"
Tetsuya's voice was choked with frustration. He could smell the faint, clean scent of her hair as they fled, and his gaze, though tired, flashed with barely suppressed anger.
"Tetsuya," Mikoto replied, breath ragged but resolute. "I refuse to watch another comrade die before my eyes!"
Her own voice trembled slightly, betraying her desperation. She stumbled, her foot slipping dangerously on a high branch, nearly pitching them both into a fall.
"I know, but—!" Tetsuya tried to keep his voice steady. "One death is better than two! In the shinobi world, carrying the weight of those who came before us is more difficult than anything else."
As the wind whipped past, he felt a few cold droplets splatter onto the back of his hand. He recognized it instantly—those were Mikoto's tears, unique and silent, falling one by one.
He sighed heavily, the fury in his voice softening. What's done is done. There was no point in arguing now. Mikoto, as he well knew, would never leave him behind.
The Mist Jonin were closing in, and Tetsuya realized that both he and Mikoto would likely share the same fate here.
While they fled, Mikoto's frantic footsteps suddenly slowed. They were cornered at the edge of a cliff, waves crashing wildly against the rocks far below.
Ahead lay nothing but the vast, open sea. Behind them, four Mist Jonin, drawing closer with every second.
"Leaf brats!" one of the Jonin barked. "You're at the end of the line! Give it up!"
The leader narrowed his eyes at Mikoto. "Listen, Uchiha girl. Surrender now, and we'll let you both live."
The Sharingan bloodline was something every nation coveted. Such a rare prize had rarely, if ever, been within their grasp. Now, standing before them, Mikoto held a value that far outstripped Tetsuya's. Properly cultivated, she could be a weapon of unimaginable strength for the Mist.
"Dream on, you Mist scum!" Tetsuya spat. "You think we'd throw away our pride as shinobi so easily?"
He knew what lay beneath their words. Surrender meant worse than death. It meant something so terrible he'd rather die fighting.
"Mikoto, I'm sorry," he said, his voice low. "Looks like we're going to die here together. This life… let's just say I owe you one. If we meet again in another life, I swear I'll repay you a hundredfold."
Slowly, he released his grip on her, lowering himself to stand beside her, leaning heavily on her shoulder to keep his balance.
"Tetsuya, cut it with the dramatic speeches!" Mikoto snapped, her words laced with a fierce determination. "If I had to choose all over again, I'd still come back for you."
She glanced at him, her voice softening just slightly. "But… I'll hold you to that promise, Tetsuya."
Their eyes met. And for a moment, the weight of the battle, the bitterness of their situation—it all faded. Staring into her clear, intense gaze, Tetsuya found himself thinking that having someone like Mikoto at his side wasn't such a bad thought.
"Damn it! Don't let them escape!" The Mist Jonin's shouts pulled him from his reverie.
They were close now, their silhouettes cutting through the fog with deadly intent. But Tetsuya and Mikoto were already in motion, too quick for them to catch up.
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