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"Big Brother!! Look over there!!!" The second brother suddenly pointed toward the ancient road ahead. Through the misty rain covering the old path, a figure seemed to stand in the distance, but due to the rain, it was hard to make out clearly.
"It really is a person!!! Be careful!!!" The eldest brother immediately tensed up, and both of them braced themselves, their bodies rigid with alertness. The shadow enveloped in the rain began to move, slowly walking toward the carriage.
Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! The sound of footsteps on the rain-soaked cobblestones echoed clearly in their ears, accompanied by the splashing of water. Though the sound seemed ordinary, like someone casually strolling through the rain—even pleasant—it struck the two brothers like a hammer pounding against their chests. A tremendous pressure descended upon them.
"This… This is…!!!" The second brother opened his mouth as if to say something but couldn't bring himself to speak. The figure gradually became clearer in their line of sight, emerging from the thick curtain of rain until it stood not far ahead of them.
The moment they saw the person clearly, their faces changed drastically, as though they had seen some primordial beast. "Impossible!!! How could it be you!!!" The second brother pointed at the figure, his body trembling, his voice shaking as he shouted.
The eldest brother stared at the figure in front of them, his legs quivering slightly. He had never imagined that this person would appear here!
Because they had both seen this person's portrait.
Standing not far in front of them was a somewhat eerie figure—neither tall nor short, with a slim build. He wore a black short kimono tied with a white sash, underneath which was a mesh-patterned undershirt. On his back hung a ninja tool pouch, and he wore black ninja leggings. His face was covered by a white mask, with a diagonal purple streak across the eye area. His eyes were slightly narrowed, and the corners of his lips curved inward like crescent moons, giving him an unsettling, mysterious smile.
Though the mask concealed his face, its eerie design alone was enough to tell them that this man was no ordinary opponent.
The newcomer paid no heed to their words, offering no explanation. Instead, he spoke indifferently: "Hand over the daughter of the Daimyo of Sakura Country, and I'll let you leave alive."
At these words, the two men's expressions darkened, anger boiling within them. After killing their brother, this man dared to act so dismissive, even speaking as if he were doing them a favor.
Taking a deep breath, the eldest brother was the first to calm down. With a cold laugh, he said, "What a fortunate meeting. I didn't expect to encounter the legendary 'Nothing' here. But my brothers and I have no grudge against you. Why are you obstructing us and why did you kill our brother?"
"Oh? Isn't your question rather strange? Then why did you kidnap the daughter of the Daimyo of Sakura Country?" The mysterious man known as "Nothing" replied calmly.
"I see!! So this guy was hired by someone after all. But who? Could it be the Daimyo of Sakura Country himself!?!" The eldest brother silently speculated in his mind.
"Regardless of your purpose, isn't it unreasonable for you to just outright kill our brother like that!!!" The second brother spoke coldly, his eyes flashing with murderous intent.
"Hoh. Do mercenaries need a reason to kill? And isn't this what you people usually do?" Nothing responded with a faint smile.
"Damn it!!! This guy looks down on us completely!!!" The eldest brother gritted his teeth internally, taking a few steps back to position himself between the carriage and the enemy. Simultaneously, the other brother also retreated slightly, forming a flanking defense alongside the eldest.
"I didn't expect people like you to actually have something called brotherhood—it's touching, really. But unfortunately, you've made the wrong choice. I'll have to send you to join your brother." Nothing spoke indifferently.
"Big Brother, what should we do?! If this guy is our opponent, today is going to be dangerous!!!" The second brother asked anxiously, his expression grim.
"The legendary 'Nothing' has only risen to fame in the underground world in recent years. Though he's only been active for a few years, he's already completed countless high-difficulty missions with a 100% success rate. It's rumored that his strength is extremely terrifying. But rumors are just rumors. There's no doubt he's strong, but how much stronger can he be compared to elite jonin from the Five Great Nations? Individually, neither of us might stand a chance, but together, we might just be able to take him down!" The eldest brother stated firmly.
Indeed, under normal circumstances, shinobi from the Five Great Nations were far stronger than wandering shinobi. The gap in resources and training was immense. Shinobi from the Five Great Villages were trained systematically from a young age, exposed to advanced knowledge and techniques. Most importantly, the Five Great Villages possessed vast collections of jutsu, secret techniques, and even forbidden arts. Those who made significant contributions were allowed to learn these powerful techniques, enhancing both their own abilities and the village's strength—for instance, Konoha's Scroll of Sealing. The constant emergence of prodigies from the Five Great Villages was partly due to this systematic support. Of course, missing-nin were an exception.
Hearing the eldest brother's reasoning, the second brother nodded. Indeed, how strong could a bounty hunter outside the Five Great Nations really be? Sure, this guy had a fearsome reputation, but they weren't easily intimidated.
"Attack!!!" The eldest brother's eyes flashed with cold light as he swiftly drew his katana and charged at Nothing like lightning. The second brother's eyes glinted with ferocity as several shuriken shot out from his hands.
The shuriken moved faster, surpassing the eldest brother's charge and hurtling straight toward Nothing's body. At some point, a kunai appeared in Nothing's hand. Clang! Sparks flew as the shuriken were deflected effortlessly.
Just then, a flash of cold steel came slashing at Nothing's neck from an incredibly tricky angle, moving like lightning.