NOVEL WEB Chapter 100: Chapter 100
If it weren't for the fear that Uchiha Mikoto might get hurt, Fujimoto Tetsuya would have already gone all out, tearing this man named Muwa into pieces.
"A brat from Konoha, threatening me? Don't make me laugh!"
Muwa sneered, his tone dripping with disdain. "If you think you can outwit me, you're far too green! Even if I drop my blade, the best I could hope for is rotting away in Konoha's prison. That's not a future Lord Muwa wants."
With his eyes narrowing, Muwa shifted his stance slightly. "If you don't want your little companion here to suffer, I'd suggest you back off. I promise to return to Grass village and never bother you again."
Both Tetsuya and Muwa were fully aware of their current predicament. Whoever made the first concession would lose the initiative, falling into a decisively unfavorable position.
Tetsuya's lips curled into a sharp grin. "Looks like words won't get us anywhere, huh? Fine. Let's change the terms."
His voice turned cold and calculated. "We both drop our weapons at the same time. You can leave unscathed, and I promise my companion's safety in return. Don't even think about negotiating further. After all, the day we became shinobi was the day we accepted the possibility of death."
As he spoke, the blade in Tetsuya's hand inched forward slightly, pressing closer to Muma.
"Fine, fine! Damn brat!" Muma growled through gritted teeth, feeling the sharp sting of steel against his waist. "I'll agree to your terms. I'll count to three, and we'll toss our weapons. Deal?"
"Sure," Tetsuya replied evenly. "Let's do it your way."
Muma's expression twisted with frustration, but he began to count. "One… two… three…"
At the moment they pretended to loosen their grips, anyone watching from the sidelines would've cursed under their breath. A crafty fox against a sly cub—neither had any intention of playing fair.
In the instant they feigned releasing their weapons, both Tetsuya and Muwa tightened their grips instead, blades flashing as they struck out simultaneously.
*Clang!*
The clash of steel reverberated through the forest, the sheer force of the collision shaking the air around them. In terms of raw strength, Tetsuya was at a disadvantage, forced back two steps. However, his relentless counterattacks forced Muwa to retreat as well, allowing Tetsuya to shield Mikoto behind him.
"It's you! The brat from Konoha!" Muwa finally got a clear look at Tetsuya, his eyes widening in disbelief.
He pointed an accusing finger. "What about them? You shouldn't even be alive!"
To Muwa, the idea that someone Tetsuya's age could survive an ambush by multiple chunin and even elite chunin was absurd. The only plausible explanation was that reinforcements from Konoha had arrived.
Realizing this, Muwa's thoughts raced.
"Are you talking about those six fools?" Tetsuya sneered, his voice laced with icy contempt. "Sorry to disappoint, but they're all dead. Directly or indirectly, every one of them fell by my hand."
He leveled a cold glare at Muwa. "So, what's it going to be? Want to keep fighting?"
Muwa's face darkened further, a mix of disbelief and fury boiling within him.
"Dead? All of them?" he repeated, his voice trembling with suppressed rage. "Brat! You think I, Lord Muwa, will fall for such an obvious bluff? How could someone like you pull off something so impossible?"
Hearing Tetsuya's casual confession only fueled Muwa's growing anger. Losing thirty-seven genin was already a massive blow. Adding six chunin and an elite chunin to the list—some of whom had close ties to other jonin—was a disaster.
The consequences loomed heavy over Muwa's mind. Even if he returned to his village alive, he'd be held accountable for the heavy losses. He knew all too well what awaited him: a life-ending mission disguised as a chance at redemption.
The choice to defect crept into his thoughts. Was this the moment to abandon everything?
While Muwa wrestled with his inner turmoil, Tetsuya didn't waste the opportunity. He summoned a shadow clone and used it to carry Mikoto to safety.
"You! You're the reason for this! All of you are to blame!" Muwa's enraged roar shattered the tense silence. His face twisted with unrestrained fury as he charged toward Tetsuya like a rabid beast.
"Grass Shadow Style: Flowing Water Slash!"
The blade whistled through the air, its edge narrowly missing Tetsuya's face. He barely had time to raise his own sword, Mist Marrow ,to block the follow-up strike. The sheer ferocity of Muwa's attacks left him no room to counter.
"Damn it!" Tetsuya cursed under his breath, bracing himself as Muwa's relentless assault continued.
Muwa's strikes were like a storm—unpredictable, chaotic, and overwhelming. Each swing of his blade carried the weight of a man who had nothing left to lose. Yet Tetsuya held his ground, each block and parry fueled by determination to protect Mikoto.
"You're stubborn, brat. But you're not invincible," Muwa snarled, shifting his stance.
"Grass Shadow Style: Breaking Palm Strike!"
The chakra-infused palm strike smashed through the air, heading straight for Tetsuya. Despite his best efforts, Tetsuya's reaction was half a beat too slow.
The impact sent him flying backward, crashing against a tree with a sickening thud. Pain shot through his body, but he refused to let it show. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to his feet.
"Is that all you've got?" Tetsuya taunted, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. His voice carried a defiant edge, even as his legs threatened to give out.
Muwa's frustration grew. He had expected this fight to be over quickly, but Tetsuya's resilience was proving to be a thorn in his side.
"You're just delaying the inevitable," Muwa growled. "No matter how hard you fight, you'll die here."
"Maybe," Tetsuya replied, his grip on Mist Marrow tightening. "But I'll make damn sure you're coming with me."
Summoning the last of his strength, Tetsuya charged forward, his blade glowing with chakra. Muwa met him head-on, their weapons clashing in a flurry of sparks and steel. The forest seemed to hold its breath as the two warriors battled, each strike bringing them closer to their limits.
Tetsuya's movements were growing slower, his vision blurring from exhaustion and pain. But he refused to stop. Every fiber of his being was focused on one goal: protecting Mikoto and ensuring she escaped safely.
As their blades locked once more, Muwa leaned in, his voice a venomous whisper. "This is the end for you, brat."
But Tetsuya only smirked. "You talk too much."
With a burst of chakra, he broke the lock, driving Mist Marrow toward Muwa's chest. The sudden move caught Muma off guard, forcing him to leap back. Tetsuya used the opening to create distance, regrouping as he planned his next move.
The battle wasn't over yet.
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