Since we have nearly reached the 100 stones, here is the bonus :)
"Do you two also long for death?"
Mishu's short blade pointed diagonally at the ground. His pale blue eyes locked onto the two lackeys, his gaze as cold and sharp as a blade in the winter wind.
The two followers felt a phantom chill on their necks, as if they might be beheaded at any second. Greatly shocked by the sheer killing intent radiating from a fellow student, they involuntarily took a step back.
What's going on? they panicked. He's just an academy student! How can his killing intent be this strong?!
One of the followers hesitantly looked at their leader. "Kurosuki Ryuichi... maybe we should forget it. He's not easy to deal with. We don't have to fight him."
The other follower immediately agreed, his hands shaking. "Y-Yes! There are many weaker people on the island. We can hunt them down instead!"
"What a bunch of cowardly weaklings!"
Seeing his men paralyzed by a simple glare, Kurosuki Ryuichi was furious. He drew his own blade, sparks of lightning chakra immediately crackling along the steel, and raised it to threaten his own teammates.
"Either you kill him, or I will kill you right now!"
The two followers stared at Ryuichi's crackling blade and audibly gulped. Having absolutely no choice, they raised their kunai and mustered the desperate courage to face Mishu.
"Attack!" Ryuichi commanded.
The two followers rushed toward Mishu from the left and right, attempting a basic pincer maneuver.
"You're asking for death!"
Mishu snorted coldly. He lowered his center of gravity, gathering immense strength in his legs. With a sudden, explosive stomp that cracked the ground beneath him, he lunged toward the boy on the left.
His short blade flashed in a deadly arc.
Blood sprayed out, staining the mossy rocks red. The opponent was practically split in two, falling to the dirt and dying in sheer agony before he even realized he'd been cut.
"How is this possible?!"
The surviving follower, seeing his companion slaughtered in a single exchange, was completely terrified. Forgetting all about Ryuichi's threats, he turned and sprinted away.
Unfortunately, he was far too slow. Just as he turned around, Mishu was already standing directly behind him. With one clean, emotionless slash, Mishu took his life.
"Bah. Truly useless trash."
Seeing his men killed, Kurosuki Ryuichi showed absolutely no sadness, only deep disgust and contempt.
He had intended to use his lackeys as cannon fodder to probe Mishu's true strength, consume his stamina, and hopefully create a blind spot for an ambush. Unfortunately, the two idiots were killed so fast they served no tactical purpose whatsoever.
"Ninjutsu: Hiding in Mist Technique!"
Ryuichi rapidly formed hand seals. A thick, unnatural mist billowed outward, rapidly enveloping the clearing. Before long, Mishu could only see two or three meters in front of him. Everything else was swallowed by the dense white fog.
Mishu narrowed his eyes slightly, observing his surroundings. His muscles tensed, and he held his short blade horizontally in front of his chest, like a tiger ready to pounce.
Although he had learned the Hiding in Mist Technique from Kyosuke in the dreamscape, Mishu understood the true depth of the jutsu thanks to his time in Kirigakure.
The Hiding in Mist Technique wasn't just about creating fog. It also required related physical techniques and sensory mastery to be lethal. For example: moving without disturbing the air currents, locating enemies purely by sound, and perfectly masking one's own heartbeat and breathing.
Without mastering these supplementary skills, creating mist simply blinded both fighters equally.
Although I know the jutsu, I haven't mastered its silent killing tricks yet, Mishu thought calmly. Fortunately, my enemy is just an academy student too. I refuse to believe he has the silent killing mastery of an adult Jonin. He will definitely leave an opening.
Mishu calmed his mind. His breathing became long and steady. His eyes watched the shifting fog, his ears strained for the slightest sound, and his skin felt for any abnormal movement in the air currents.
Suddenly, in the corner of Mishu's eye, a faint blue electric arc flickered through the white mist. The sharp crackle of electricity was incredibly jarring in the silent battlefield.
This is not a decoy, and not a clone. It's a real attack!
In a fraction of a second, Mishu spun around, bringing his short blade up vertically to guard his chest.
Clang!
Amidst the crackle of electricity, the harsh screech of steel clashing against steel rang out.
Mishu's blade perfectly intercepted Ryuichi's downward strike. The physical force transmitted through the sword was surprisingly heavy, making Mishu raise an eyebrow. However, he simply stepped back with his right foot, leaned into the strike, and steadily absorbed the impact without losing his balance.
Glancing down, Mishu saw faint electric arcs flickering around Ryuichi's calves. Clearly, the boy had used lightning-attribute chakra to stimulate his leg muscles, drastically enhancing his closing speed and physical power.
"What a remarkable trick. Is this the depth of a noble Ninja Clan?" Mishu mocked casually, his voice perfectly steady. "You are slightly stronger than I imagined. But unfortunately, your luck is terrible, because you encountered me."
Through this brief exchange, Mishu had fully measured his opponent's capabilities. He was completely at ease, entirely comfortable using psychological warfare to shatter the boy's focus.
"Damn it!"
His full-force, lightning-enhanced ambush had been flawlessly blocked! It felt like striking a solid mountain. Ryuichi was both shocked and infuriated. Hearing the utter disdain in Mishu's voice made him want to hack the commoner to pieces.
Even if you block it, you should at least stumble! Ryuichi screamed internally. Even if you don't stumble, your eyes shouldn't be so calm, and your voice shouldn't be so steady! I'm trying to kill you!
However, despite burning with anger, Ryuichi maintained a trace of tactical clarity. He forcefully suppressed his rage, immediately backstepping and vanishing into the mist once more.
He realized that Mishu's physical strength, reaction speed, and kenjutsu were all vastly superior to his own. However, Mishu clearly lacked a deep understanding of fighting within the mist, relying entirely on raw physical reflexes to defend.
Don't panic, Ryuichi told himself. The environment is in my favor. As long as I keep launching hit-and-run attacks from the blind spots, I will eventually bleed him dry.
As Ryuichi psyched himself up in the shadows, Mishu made a new move.
"Water Clone Technique!"
Mishu performed the hand seals incredibly slowly, deliberately shouting the name of the jutsu out loud. Two identical Water Clones materialized beside him.
"I slowed down my hand seals and even announced the jutsu," Mishu's voice echoed smoothly through the mist. "Even with your weak, pathetic skills, you should be able to see exactly what I just did."
The three Mishus stood back-to-back, guarding all directions. The taunting voice continued.
"Two Water Clones appear before your eyes. You think you know which one is the real body, and you won't fall for a simple trap. But... are they really just clones? Is the real body actually the real body? Ninjas are known for deception, Kurosuki. Perhaps my lies are layered with even more lies."
Mishu's words drifted through the fog, carrying an intangible, suffocating psychological pressure that began to heavily weigh on Ryuichi's heart.
"You've felt my physical strength," Mishu whispered, his voice seeming to come from everywhere at once. "If you make even one single mistake in this mist, my blade will slice through your throat. I'll cut your arteries. I'll pierce your heart, turning you into a cold, pathetic corpse."
The voice grew darker, more sadistic. "Well, your lightning tricks aren't bad. Maybe I won't kill you in one strike. Maybe I'll just sever your hamstrings. You'll crawl on the dirt, struggling to survive, and I'll slowly follow you. Step by step. Stabbing you over and over until I pin you to the earth like an insect."
Hearing Mishu's chillingly detailed description, horrifying images involuntarily flooded Ryuichi's mind. His breathing became rapid and shallow, and thick veins began to bulge on his forehead.
Damn it! Don't fall for it! He's just trying to distract me! Ryuichi thought, his hands shaking. The more he talks, the more it proves he's bluffing! He's scared of the mist!
Ryuichi bit his lower lip so hard it drew blood. The sharp pain and the taste of warm iron helped him forcefully regain a sliver of composure.