Ayane's body stiffened.
Hakushi's pale face broke out in a cold sweat as well.
"Haha, are you really not afraid of me anymore? I did kill your captain, you know."
Hakushi was trying to salvage the situation somehow.
"You brat, ever since you came out of the womb, I doubt you've ever told the truth. Sorry, but because of your character, I don't trust a single word you say anymore."
The Root Ninja looked at Hakushi with eyes that seemed to see through everything.
"Hey, hey, isn't that a bit too ironic? I—"
Hakushi was still trying to use his words to lead the Root Ninja, steering his thoughts into a dead end to resolve the current crisis.
However, the opponent was very confident in his assumptions, completely distrusting every word Hakushi said.
"Insect Sphere!"
A black cloud of insects sped toward them at an incredible speed.
Hakushi roughly shoved Ayane aside, and when it was his turn, he could only barely dodge, rolling on the ground.
He ignored these insects and quickly charged toward the Root Ninja.
The Root Ninja wasn't about to let Hakushi have his way; he released another swarm of black insects from his sleeve, forming a solid barrier ahead.
The Root Ninja had already anticipated the miserable scene of Hakushi being surrounded and devoured by the insects.
His heart was filled with a dark sense of violent revenge.
The sound of footsteps came from behind.
When the Root Ninja turned, a Ninja Blade swiftly sliced across his neck.
As the blood splattered, the already fragile Ninja Blade could no longer bear the strain and broke in the middle.
The blood-stained Broken Blade fell and stuck straight into the ground.
The sound of the Broken Blade hitting the ground was simultaneous with the Root Ninja's body collapsing.
He stared at Hakushi with unwilling and resentful eyes, opening his mouth as if he wanted to say, 'You're lying again.'
Hakushi, gasping for breath, crouched down and gently closed the unseeing eyes of the Root Ninja, letting out a soft sigh.
"Sorry, that's the kind of despicable person I am. You're right; every word I said to you was deceptive. But the reason you fell into the trap was your own belief that you made the correct judgment, wasn't it?"
Ayane watched this scene unfold, showing a baffled expression.
Should she describe Hakushi as despicable, or horrifying?
His injuries were severe, indeed, but not so much that he couldn't fight.
He just wasn't sure he could kill the opponent with certainty, so he set up a deceptive trap, letting the enemy judge for themselves, verify for themselves, and then come to what they thought was the correct conclusion.
If you don't trust the enemy's words, then trust your own verified judgment.
Only at the last moment would one realize it was still a trap meticulously designed by Hakushi.
For the first time, Ayane saw that combat between ninjas could be conducted in such a manner.
If Ruri's combat was simple and brutal, then Hakushi's combat was a battle of deceit.
Neither magnificent nor aesthetically pleasing, it was full of treachery and baseness.
I can't believe I have such unwavering faith in someone like him; perhaps I'm beyond saving, Ayane pitied herself.
Hakushi lay on the ground, ungracefully; now, he truly had no strength left.
"What a terrible day. Root, huh, I've got you in my memory..."
Whispering these words, Hakushi finally closed his eyes in exhaustion, wanting to rest for a while.