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A flash of cold steel slashed toward Nothing's neck from an incredibly tricky angle, swift as lightning. The strike was clean, fluid, and devoid of any unnecessary movementsâa testament to the eldest brother's skill as a seasoned jonin. His blade technique had been honed through countless battles.
"The person behind me used shuriken as a feint to cover this attack? A clever plan indeed," Nothing remarked calmly. Though his expression was hidden behind the mask, the corners of his lips curled into a faint smile beneath it.
Faced with the swift strike, Nothing appeared not to react in time. Shh! The gleaming katana sliced across Nothing's neck, and blood spurted out violently.
"Did we succeed?!" Seeing this, the second brother froze momentarily before breaking into a wide grin. However, the more calculating eldest brother remained skeptical. It felt unreal that someone rumored to possess unfathomable strength could be defeated so easily. He kept his guard up, refusing to let his guard down even slightly.
The morning rain continued to drizzle, mingling with the blood on the ground and the scattered sakura petals, flowing slowly into the distance. Nothing's body lay there, covered by the rain and petals, seemingly lifeless.
Seeing no anomalies in the fallen form of Nothing, the eldest brother finally relaxed slightly. But then he thought, Something feels off. With such a reputation, he shouldn't be this weak. And his objective isâŠÂ Suddenly, realization struck him. His expression shifted, and he spun around abruptly, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Second Brother! Watch your back!!"
Hearing the eldest brother's warning, the second brother's round face instantly tensed. BOOM! A deafening explosion erupted behind them as the carriage shattered into pieces. A black shadow leapt out from within, landing gracefully a short distance away. To their shock, Nothing stood unscathed, and the daughter of the Daimyo of Sakura Country was also safe and sound beside him.
"Damn it! We've been played!!" The two brothers' faces turned ashen. At that moment, the corpse of Nothing that had lain motionless on the ground began to fade away like mist, and the blood that had pooled on the ground slowly disappeared as well, as if nothing had happened.
"Genjutsu?! When did it happen?!" The eldest brother's face paled, while the second brother's complexion turned grim. Beads of cold sweat trickled down their foreheads. They hadn't noticed when the genjutsu had been cast, nor had they seen Nothing perform any hand sealsâit had been completely imperceptible. Only now did they truly grasp how terrifying Nothing was.
Without saying a word, Nothing peeled off the white seal covering the girl's mouth and used a kunai to cut the ropes binding her hands. He spoke indifferently, "You're free."
Houjo Yurika, still stunned, stared at Nothing in disbelief. Just moments ago, she had been contemplating ending her own life to prevent her father from being blackmailed, but now she had been saved without warning. The sudden turn of events left her bewildered.
"Are you someone my father hired?" Houjo Yurika asked hesitantly. Given how quickly she had been rescued, this person's strength must be extraordinary. But less than a day had passed since her abductionâwhere could her father have found such a powerful ninja? Even shinobi from the Five Great Villages wouldn't act this swiftly.
"That's correct. Your father hired me, but I'm not a shinobi from the Five Great Villages. I'm merely a bounty hunter," Nothing replied, seemingly reading her thoughts.
Inwardly relieved, Houjo Yurika sighed. If her father had sent him, it meant her immediate danger had passed. She wouldn't be used as a hostage to threaten her father anymore.
"What do we do now?! Big Brother?" The second brother swallowed hard, his eyes filled with both fear and desperation as he glared at Nothing. "Damn it!!" The eldest brother's forehead was drenched in sweat. Though Nothing radiated no overwhelming power, his calm demeanor weighed heavily on them, creating an even more oppressive atmosphere.
"Thinking of running away? Where did all that bravado go just moments ago? Didn't you want to avenge your brother? Come on, try," Nothing chuckled softly, his crimson eyes flashing mockingly through the slits of his white mask.
"Don't look down on us!!!!" Unable to endure the crushing pressure any longer, the second brother roared furiously, his face contorted. He yanked his katana from its sheath and charged at Nothing with reckless abandon.
"Don't act rashly!!!" The eldest brother shouted in alarm, but it was too late. The second brother ignored his warning, raising his ninjato high and bringing it down with tremendous force toward Nothing.
Houjo Yurika watched in terror as the crazed, overweight man lunged forward, clutching tightly onto the sleeve of Nothing's kimono. "Pointless effort," Nothing remarked lightly, seemingly unconcerned about the descending blade.
Shh! Blood sprayed everywhere as a glowing blue lightsaber-like sword suddenly pierced through the fat man's neck. His downward strike halted mid-air, the katana frozen inches above Nothing's head.
"W-What is this�!" The eldest brother stared in horror at Nothing's left palm. A swirling sphere of blue chakra rotated steadily within it, and from the sphere extended a thin, elongated blade of pure chakra that had cleanly impaled the second brother's throat.
The crazed glint in the fat man's eyes slowly faded, replaced by sheer terror and regret. His mouth moved silently, but no sound emerged.
"Your throat has been destroyed. Of course, you can't speak anymore," Nothing said indifferently, the blue chakra blade dissipating into the air. The fat man clutched his neck, collapsing to the ground as his gaze grew distant and lifeless.