The Forgemage of Konoha

Maria the Ripper

Ultimately, due to Shirō's persistence, Nakamura reluctantly agreed to his request. However, for safety, Nakamura and the others would observe the battle from a distance—unlike with Tai Yi, who had previously handled everything alone while Shirō and his team waited at the rendezvous point.

This time was different. Their opponent wasn't just any rogue shinobi.

The Hidden Mist had a reputation for producing high-caliber ninja, and this target was no exception—skilled in the art of Silent Killing, an assassination technique perfected by Kirigakure's elite.

As they traveled, Nakamura couldn't help but repeatedly confirm Shirō's decision. Despite his maturity and talent, Shirō was still a child—barely eight years old. There was no denying the gap in physical and experiential capability between him and a seasoned shinobi.

As Shirō's captain, Nakamura bore responsibility for his safety.

After failing to change Shirō's mind, Nakamura took the opportunity to explain the mechanics and dangers of Silent Killing—techniques that involved sensing one's opponent through killing intent, sound, and air movement rather than sight.

Though Nakamura had already accepted Shirō's gift—a pack of cigarettes—he did so more out of empathy than obligation. Nakamura didn't even smoke. He simply saw a reflection of himself in Shirō: a civilian-born child, gifted, and supported by a loving father who had gone out of his way to ensure his son received proper mentorship.

Years ago, Nakamura's own father had spent years saving to buy a gift for his squad leader, hoping Nakamura would be taught well. It was that memory—and not the cigarettes—that spurred Nakamura's guidance.

At first, Nakamura had been uncomfortable accepting gifts from parents. But over time, he noticed a pattern: rejection only caused anxiety for the parents, making them feel as if their child wasn't being taken seriously. So Nakamura adapted. He accepted the gifts, tucked them away, and later returned them once the Genin graduated.

Shirō, for his part, had no foolish pride or childish rebellion. He didn't respond with, "Why worry? I'm strong!" or "You don't believe in me?" Instead, he listened with quiet concentration.

First, because this knowledge might help in battle. Shirō was confident, not arrogant. Even small insights could prove crucial.

Second, Nakamura's advice—refined by experience—blended well with the combat data Shirō had acquired through Projection Magic, further advancing his mastery of Mind's Eye (Fake).

Third, Shirō appreciated Nakamura's concern. Accepting his guidance would ease the captain's worry and avoid the risk of an untimely interruption in the middle of the fight. After all, Nakamura wasn't aware of Shirō's trump card.

To buy more time and continue their talk, Nakamura deliberately slowed their pace. Yet even with this delay, they caught up to the target two days later outside a dense forest.

---

"Shirō, one last confirmation—do you really intend to face her alone?"

"I do. Don't worry, Captain."

"You'll die."

"I understand."

"Then go."

"Heh. Wait for my good news."

---

And with that, Shirō stepped into the woods alone.

He wasn't doing this out of some delusional chūnibyō desire to "prove himself." He had grown past that.

The reason he insisted on fighting solo was simple: the system.

When he killed enemies alone, the system absorbed far more energy. If others interfered, the energy harvested diminished drastically. Though he didn't understand why, he wasn't in a position to question it—he needed every ounce of strength it could provide.

So yes, this was a hunt.

Even if the opponent was a Special Jōnin, Shirō wasn't intimidated.

A Special Jōnin was someone who had Jōnin-level skill in one specific area, while the rest of their abilities remained at the Chūnin level. This enemy had honed Silent Killing to that advanced degree—making her especially dangerous. But Shirō wasn't weak either. He was confident in his ability to win.

Still, he didn't rush in.

Instead, he summoned Gray Snake—his summon familiar—and had it tail the target from a distance.

He waited patiently for night to fall.

Only then would the three conditions for his trump card—Maria the Ripper—be met, enabling a guaranteed one-hit kill.

---

Noble Phantasm: Maria the Ripper

Rank: D~B

User: Jack the Ripper — the vengeful wraith born from the collective hatred of abandoned children in Victorian London.

Appearance: Four floating daggers.

---

Origin & Activation:

The name "Maria" refers to the Virgin Mary. In Jack the Ripper's legend, all victims were prostitutes, murdered on foggy nights in London.

The curse gains strength from the pain of those unborn or cast aside—the children of prostitutes who were never even allowed the chance to live.

To activate Maria the Ripper, three conditions must be met:

1. It must be nighttime.

2. The target must be female or possess a feminine essence.

3. There must be fog.

When all three are fulfilled, the Noble Phantasm triggers instantly and lethally, tearing out the target's internal organs—turning them into a dissected corpse. If only one or two conditions are met, the damage is reduced but still dangerous.

Crucially, the attack is not a physical strike. It's a curse, and thus can be deployed from long range. Only curse resistance can defend against it—not physical armor or chakra-based defense.

Though the original rank varies with the conditions, Projecting it via magic costs only D-rank energy, and the effect remains potent. Even if the projection reduces the overall curse strength by a rank (from B to C), the mechanical effect of the Noble Phantasm remains unchanged.

In other words, it still dissects the enemy—just that the resistance needed to survive it drops (e.g., B-rank Curse Resistance → C-rank).

---

Now, here's the critical insight:

In the world of Naruto, are there any jutsu capable of countering a C-rank curse?

No.

If such techniques existed, characters like Hidan, the Jashin-worshipping immortal, wouldn't have been so feared. His rituals were curse-based, and yet no standard jutsu countered them.

Thus, Shirō could be confident: when the Hidden Mist Technique appears... the enemy's death is assured.

If only he could use Water Release, he'd trigger the mist himself!

...Not that it would make him arrogant.

After all, this Noble Phantasm only works on females, and wouldn't affect someone like Ōtsutsuki Kaguya. She had the Rinne Sharingan, and who knows what level of curse resistance it granted.

Shirō theorized that the Rinnegan itself might be enough to ignore such attacks. Its powers seemed to transcend ordinary ninjutsu and enter the realm of rules—like reality overwrites.

That was far above his current league.

For now, he would focus on this battle... and on reaping the power it would yield.