Naruto: Just an Average Ninja

Hanemiya Genma was forced out of his concealed state in a rather disheveled manner, once again exposed to the enemy's line of sight.

In truth, the enemy's self-detonation attack wasn't a bad choice by any means—the only issue was that the timing of the explosion wasn't quite precise. When dealing with the Technique of the Mayfly, the best counter was undoubtedly an area-of-effect ninjutsu. No matter how well you hid or how fast you moved, a single overwhelming strike to flatten you into the ground was the most effective strategy.

A kunai pierced through the mist, embedding itself into Hanemiya Genma's shoulder with a dull thud, sending blood splattering in an instant. Fortunately, the sharp pain in his shoulder jolted his dazed mind—muddled from the explosion's impact—back to clarity.

A figure emerged from the thinning fog, and a glint of cold steel flashed from the blind spot of Hanemiya Genma's vision.

"Earth Style!"

As the enemy launched his attack, he shouted a warning to his remaining comrades. In his understanding, Hanemiya Genma relied on some unique Earth Release technique for concealment, movement, and assassination.

Clearly, this hasty judgment fed his teammates flawed information.

Hanemiya Genma lunged forward with his left foot, steadying his nearly toppling body. His back and waist muscles tensed as he twisted his upper body to the side and leaned backward. With this maneuver, he narrowly dodged the enemy's decapitating slash, though the razor-sharp blade still carved a gash across his upper arm.

The enemy flicked his wrist, instantly reversing his grip on the blade, then yanked his arm back in a swift motion. Hanemiya Genma had no choice but to twist his body again in the direction of the attack, evading yet another strike.

The gleam of the icy blade heightened his senses; the chill brushing against his skin sharpened his focus even further. His breathing steadied, becoming calm and measured.

But under the relentless back-and-forth of the enemy's assault, he finally lost his balance. His upper body tipped backward, and he thrust a single arm to the ground to catch himself, barely avoiding a fall.

The enemy seized the moment, delivering a fierce kick to his abdomen. The sheer force sent Hanemiya Genma flying backward, his body curling from the impact.

His back slammed into a protruding boulder, the shock radiating through him and stealing his breath for a moment. But he had no time to tend to his injuries—without hesitation, he rolled to the side.

Clang!

The enemy's short blade struck the spot where Hanemiya Genma had just landed, the swift follow-up leaving him no chance to counterattack.

He rolled forward repeatedly, dodging the onslaught while adjusting his posture, until he finally regained a stance suitable for face-to-face combat.

The enemy ninja's attacks were lightning-fast. The short blade moved with deadly precision, each strike aimed relentlessly at the midline of Hanemiya Genma's torso.

It was obvious this was a ninja skilled in taijutsu—hand-to-hand combat. His rapid, aggressive strikes were designed to separate Hanemiya Genma's left and right hands, preventing him from forming hand seals to cast techniques.

A solid plan, perhaps, but it underestimated its target. Hanemiya Genma wasn't particularly renowned for his ninjutsu in the first place—so what exactly had allowed him to hold his own on the battlefield and survive this long?

The enemy was merely a chūnin, lacking the ability to fully suppress another ninja's capacity to use techniques.

Sustaining such a barrage of lethal attacks was no easy feat, and as the enemy's rhythm faltered slightly, Hanemiya Genma saw his chance. He sidestepped an incoming strike, his right hand—hanging by his side—slipping into his ninja pouch to retrieve a kunai. As the enemy shifted from a slash to a thrust, charging forward with another swing, Hanemiya Genma jerked his kunai upward.

Clang!

With a crisp metallic clash, he hooked the enemy's blade with the kunai's tail ring. Then, with a sharp twist of his wrist, he locked the short blade in place and yanked it along the direction of the enemy's momentum.

The enemy's weapon slipped from his grasp. Hanemiya Genma released his kunai in the same motion, using his arm strength to pull the enemy's body closer. Then, planting his right foot, he drove his knee upward with full force into the enemy's abdomen.

The knee strike—powerful enough to cause internal bleeding—landed squarely. Blood trickled from the enemy's mouth as his legs buckled uncontrollably, forcing him to stagger back two steps.

Agony contorted the enemy's features into a grimace. Instinctively, he looked up at Hanemiya Genma, only to see his opponent's hands already clasped together, the final seal completed in an instant:

"Fire Release: Will-o'-the-Wisp Technique!"

A wave of heat warped the air as orange-red flames erupted in irregular clusters, surging forward while trailing distinct fiery tails. Though it was fire, the technique resembled someone lifting a basin of water and splashing it outward in a wide arc.

The taijutsu-specialized ninja had no room to evade. In fact, he barely reacted at all before the fan-shaped spread of will-o'-the-wisps engulfed him. Once the searing flames latched onto his body, they burned with an intensity that couldn't be extinguished.

A bloodcurdling scream tore through the air. The will-o'-the-wisps, upon contact with human flesh, flared even more fiercely. Within a mere twenty seconds, the enemy's cries ceased. His limbs twitched faintly in a futile struggle, but soon he was reduced to a charred husk, fully consumed by the flames.

Hanemiya Genma spared not a single glance for the now-harmless foe. His gaze shifted to the last remaining enemy nearby.

Clearly, this final opponent had intended to rush in and aid his comrade, but the screams and gruesome fate of his ally froze him in his tracks.

To him, Hanemiya Genma's eyes held neither hatred nor anger—no joy, no sorrow—just a chilling, almost predatory calm. It wasn't the look one gave an enemy or a friend, but the detached stare reserved for a lifeless object.

Watching his teammates fall one by one in mere moments, with himself now the sole target, this ninja—a mere genin—could no longer bear the suffocating psychological pressure. He turned and fled.

However…

Before he could get far, a faint shunk sounded, and a kunai pierced his heart from behind.

This ninja was even younger than Hanemiya Genma. But in this world… if you don't kill, you'll be killed.

"What secret technique… was it that assassinated the captain?" the dying ninja managed to rasp out.

Clearly, their captain's death had marked the beginning of their downfall. Had the captain's demise not been so inconsequential to the battle, they wouldn't have ended up in this dire situation.

"Secret technique?" Hanemiya Genma paused, considering for a moment before adjusting his response. "No, I only used ordinary ninjutsu… nothing remarkable."

The steam kicked up by the clash of Water and Fire Release techniques gradually dissipated. Hanemiya Genma's wet hair clung to his forehead, and his clothes were nearly soaked through. The fight hadn't lasted long, and its intensity was moderate at best, but it had still left his nerves taut as a bowstring.

Still, the mission's objective was largely achieved. Hanemiya Genma took a deep breath, letting the damp, cool air soothe his overheated lungs.

Next, he had to go support his remaining comrades.