"Huh? Where's the kid!?"
The air reeked of smoke and ozone. Frenzy, Stone Dragon, and Chuangshi—the trio of overconfident mutant enforcers—stood in the wreckage they'd just created. The floor where Ryuuto had been standing moments ago was now just a puddle of water. The kid was gone.
"Don't tell me he slipped away right under our noses!" Frenzy snarled.
Chuangshi frowned, pressing his fingers to his temple as if tuning an invisible radio. "He's close. The energy trail ends… there." His gaze snapped toward the towering New York Museum. "Move."
The three mutants blasted off in unison, smashing through the museum's glass facade like a battering ram of raw arrogance.
Meanwhile, Ryuuto was already inside, leaning casually against an ancient display case. He flicked his wristwatch, checked the time, and grinned.
"Perfect timing."
[Ding! Mission complete. Reward: Uchiha Itachi Memory Fragment obtained!]
[Additional Challenge: Defeat all three incoming enemies at once for a double reward!]
Ryuuto's eye twitched. "You're kidding, right?"
[Nope. Totally real. Scared, Host? Even if you fail, there's no penalty.]
He smirked. "Scared? Please. The word impossible doesn't exist in my dictionary."
He clenched his fist, red chakra crackling faintly around his arm. "Shion, watch closely. I'll show you how a real shinobi cleans house."
[Hehe~ I'm watching, Master. Try not to embarrass yourself.]
Ryuuto stepped out from behind a weathered stone statue. His gaze sharpened as three silhouettes entered through the shattered entrance.
"Looking for me?" he called out, his voice echoing across the museum hall. "Come on, I'll even stand still if that helps you aim."
Stone Dragon let out a snort, smoke puffing from his nostrils. "You really don't know when to shut up, kid. Fine—let's see if your mouth still works after I crush it."
He spread his stone-like wings and dove from above, talons glowing red-hot as they sliced through the air. Ancient artifacts tumbled and shattered from the shockwave.
Ryuuto smiled faintly. "Big talk for a guy who looks like rejected architecture."
He formed a single seal. "Earth Release: Light-Heavy Rock Technique!"
An invisible pulse surged outward. Stone Dragon's balance faltered mid-dive, his body suddenly feeling like it was made of lead. Before he could recover, Ryuuto met him head-on. Their strikes collided—fist versus claw.
Bang!
The impact was brutal. Stone Dragon's arm jerked backward unnaturally, claws twisting as cracks webbed through his forearm. He roared in pain before crashing into a bronze statue, the sound of metal and marble echoing through the entire hall.
"Freeze! Don't move!"
A dozen security guards burst in, guns drawn, surrounding both sides in confusion.
"You there—hands up! All of you!"
Ryuuto blinked. "Wait, what? I'm on your side! X-Men, honorary member! Those are the bad guys!"
"Save it for the police. Weapons down!" the security captain barked, flipping off the safety of his pistol.
Ryuuto sighed. "I swear, every world I go to, someone points a gun at me."
Chuangshi smirked coldly. "Kill the witnesses."
The three mutants moved instantly—Frenzy slammed two guards into the wall, and Stone Dragon crushed their rifles underfoot. The others fell in seconds.
Ryuuto's expression hardened. "Enough!"
He flashed forward, intercepting a blow aimed at another guard. "This is a museum, not a demolition derby!"
Frenzy cracked her knuckles. "A hero complex? Cute. Then take this!"
Her armor glowed red as she lunged forward, releasing a punch that tore through the air with sheer kinetic force.
Ryuuto sidestepped smoothly. "Wait—hold up." His gaze dropped mockingly. "You're a woman? Huh. I expected more grace."
"WHAT!?" Frenzy's eyes widened.
Ryuuto grinned wickedly, forming rapid hand seals. "Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall!"
A forest erupted from the marble floor—thick roots and towering trunks bursting upward, slamming down around Frenzy like prison bars. She struck back with all her might, but the wood only creaked and tightened. Vines coiled around her limbs, wrapping tighter and tighter until she could barely move.
Her voice came out strangled with rage. "You little—!"
"You've got some fight in you," Ryuuto said. "I'll give you that. But you should've stayed home."
"Don't forget me, brat!" Stone Dragon roared from above, his massive shadow falling over Ryuuto. "Let's see you handle this!"
He dove like a meteor, claws aimed straight for Ryuuto's head—
—and stopped dead midair.
A storm of golden sand burst from nowhere, swirling between them like a living shield. The particles shimmered under the museum lights, forming a solid barrier.
Stone Dragon's eyes went wide. "What the hell—sand!?"
Ryuuto smiled faintly, hand still half-raised. "Surprise. You're not the only one with a few tricks left."
...
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