The Hidden Assassin
"You look so weak now."
Obito watched as Kazuhiko stood calmly, hands in his pockets, effortlessly driving Bai Ye into a corner. Compared to him, Shiichi seemed utterly powerless.
"How dare you say that—you lost to him!"
Shiichi couldn't believe Obito had the nerve to mock him. Besides, Kazuhiko was several years older; it would be strange if he wasn't stronger.
"Why are you so nervous? Bai Ye won't go down that easily."
Yuyan tapped Yue on the head, mildly annoyed. Yue had his fingers pressed to his forehead in prayer, acting like Bai Ye was about to lose.
Despite the swarms of insects clouding the battlefield, the low, guttural roars from deep within the cloud confirmed Bai Ye was still fighting.
"Gate of Opening—
Gate of Rest—
Gate of Life—OPEN!"
Snared by parasitic insects, Bai Ye crossed his fists over his chest. His knees bent, and a pale green aura erupted from his body.
Bulging veins snaked across his limbs as three of the Eight Inner Gates opened. With a sudden shockwave, he blasted the clinging parasites off his body.
Now clinging sideways to a wall, Bai Ye began adjusting his stance. He dropped into a crouch, fingertips spread on the stone, as though about to pounce.
Cracks spread from beneath him as his energy pressed outward—cracks that widened until—
"Boom!"
With a deafening impact, Bai Ye vanished, leaving behind a crater nearly half a meter deep. Whatever material the wall was made of, it held, but just barely.
In the field, the Aburame swarm rippled—reacting for the first time under external pressure. A black streak slashed through the swarm like a pebble through still water, leaving a thinning trail.
At the end of the strike, something tore a hole through the insect cloud—then the gap was immediately resealed by regrouping insects.
Simultaneously, a blur of black flashed across the arena—Kazuhiko vanished with it.
"Bang!"
An explosive crash rang from the far side of the venue—like a high-speed vehicle slamming into a wall. Smoke and dust rose in its wake, obscuring everything.
"What just happened?"
A fellow Genin voiced what everyone was thinking. The sequence of events had lasted barely 0.1 seconds—from Bai Ye's launch to the impact.
Most had assumed Bai Ye was finished. No one expected him to teleport—and take Kazuhiko with him.
As the dust cleared, Bai Ye stood atop the wall, unscathed, confirming that something unprecedented had just occurred.
The wall itself had sunk nearly two meters under the impact. A 500-square-meter section had buckled inward, transforming into a conical depression. The arena wall, clearly designed to withstand monstrous power, was barely holding together.
But where was Kazuhiko? Or more importantly, the Aburame who had hidden himself among the insects?
Only scattered parasitic bugs remained, trying in vain to attach themselves to Bai Ye, only to be repelled by residual shockwaves from the Eight Gates.
"You're this cautious even with such an advantage?"
Bai Ye gazed upward at the insect swarm he had just torn through. It was clear now—what he struck was merely a clone made of insects. Kazuhiko's real body had never been there.
"I don't know who this guy is... but he's insane."
One observer gulped. Bai Ye had deformed an entire wall with a single strike. Just imagining that hit landing on a human made them shudder.
"And it's all taijutsu..."
Might Guy stood off to the side, fists trembling with excitement. His cheeks reddened as he overheard the crowd's disbelief.
Yes—Bai Ye had relied only on physical techniques. But they were forbidden techniques—the Eight Gates.
Guy clenched his fists. If he trained hard enough, he too could reach this level. The Flame of Youth blazed in his heart.
"Tch. Hiding again? I hate fighting cowards like this."
Bai Ye crushed the remaining bugs around him and released the Eight Gates. If he couldn't land a direct hit, then all the power in the world meant nothing.
He could've used the Hyourinmaru Pill to freeze the entire swarm—but the energy cost would leave him too drained for future battles.
As the insects regrouped, he racked his brain for a better plan. If this dragged out, he'd be worn down sooner or later.
"Bakudō #39: Enkōsen!"
With little time to spare, Bai Ye summoned a spherical shield of spiritual energy. It blocked the incoming insects—briefly.
But his brow furrowed. Despite the shield holding, he could feel his chakra being drained at an accelerated rate.
The parasitic insects were absorbing chakra even through the barrier.
If he wanted to keep it up, he'd have to pour in more and more chakra—unsustainable under the circumstances.
"Scatter—Senbonzakura."
Out of options, Bai Ye drew the Zanpakutō at his waist and murmured its release. The blade dissolved into a thousand glowing fragments, floating like cherry blossoms.
These petals—tiny, razor-sharp blades—could shred an opponent from all sides. Yet they inflicted mostly shallow, lingering cuts—not fatal strikes. And the cost?
Enormous chakra expenditure.
Without vast reserves, keeping Senbonzakura active was impractical. It was powerful, yes, but right now it felt like a luxury he couldn't afford. Like a polished blade made of glass—beautiful, but brittle.
For now, he still preferred brute force—Eight Gates over delicate finesse.
But one day, Bai Ye thought, I'll stand like Kazuhiko—hands in my pockets, unmoving, while my blade chases the enemy on its own.
The image alone was enough to make him smile.
"Someday soon… I'll get there."