Boom.
Ryuuto shot out of the smoke like a red streak, boots skidding through moss as he dodged every attack in the net trap. A flick of his wrist sent kunai spinning upward, pinning the entire steel mesh to a tree trunk.
Before the metal even finished vibrating, something burst from the swamp behind him.
A shadow swept past the mud, fast enough to tear the air. The assassin's blade flashed, cutting toward Ryuuto's throat like a starving wolf lunging for fresh meat.
For a second, her strike felt so clean it made her shiver with pride.
Psst.
Her sword pierced flesh.
Or so she thought.
Spider-Lady cackled from the branches above. "Hah! That brat wasn't even worth the warm-up! My rewards are gonna be beauti—"
Her laughter snapped off like someone had crushed her throat.
The "Ryuuto" her assassin skewered shimmered… then melted into a crude wooden log with a dumb face scribbled on it.
Substitution Jutsu.
The assassin froze. "What…? Where is he?!"
She slashed wildly. Mud splashed. Air trembled. Her heart hammered.
Spider-Lady, perched on a tree trunk, suddenly stiffened. "Get off the ground! Now!"
Too late.
A hand shot out from the soil behind the assassin and clamped around her ankle.
Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu.
Ryuuto dragged her under in one brutal yank, burying her up to the neck. Only her terrified face remained above ground, eyes shaking as if someone had unplugged her brain.
"You wanna attack me at random?" Ryuuto's voice rose from the shifting earth. "Then you'd better expect the bill."
A hiss tore through the forest.
Spider-Lady dropped from the branch and spat a stream of corrosive venom, splattering everything with a stench that could've killed a goat.
Plants shriveled instantly.
Ryuuto gagged. "Fantastic. You're basically a walking sewer pipe."
A shield of sand swirled into existence, blocking the venom in a gritty wall.
He bit his thumb, slammed a palm against his scroll, and snarled:
"Time for my ninja dogs to stretch their legs. Parker! Handle the oversized roach!"
A burst of white smoke.
Eight ninja dogs landed like a squad of rough street thugs.
Parker sniffed. "Spider-Lady? Again? I swear she tastes like expired ramen."
Ryuuto tossed a bone the size of a chair leg. "Shut up and go."
The dogs went feral instantly, stampeding toward their target.
Spider-Lady exploded in profanity. "You mutts better stay back!"
She dodged frantically, using her unnatural agility to escape fang-filled maws snapping inches from her limbs.
Meanwhile, the buried assassin finally broke free with a burst of arcane force. She launched at Ryuuto, blade raised to carve his throat.
"Still trying? Bold." Ryuuto's grin sharpened. "Shame you fight like a tantrum with legs."
He spun his massive decapitation blade and met her strike head-on.
Clang!
Sparks ripped across the clearing. Her weapon flew back in her hands, trembling. A fat crack split across its edge.
"You… damaged my sword?!" she roared, face twisting.
She lunged again like an unhinged panther.
Ryuuto sighed. "You ambushed me, but I can't defend myself? Try logic sometime."
His tone turned razor-thin. "If you're this obsessed with dying, hurry home and make some kids first. At least someone might miss you."
Her pupils shrank. She aborted her sword swing and rapidly formed a spell, firing glowing magic bubbles like bullets.
Ryuuto snorted. "Cute. Shame they're bargain-bin quality."
Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet.
A torrent of water exploded from his lungs, shredding the bubbles mid-flight and rattling the forest floor.
The assassin slammed her foot down, covering her body in glowing armor. Stones tore from the earth, merging into a towering rock giant.
"Crush him!"
The stone golem thundered forward, each step carving valleys into the dirt.
Ryuuto cracked his neck, eyes gleaming. "Finally, something that isn't pathetic."
He stepped forward, meeting the monster without flinching.
"This is a hunt," he said. "And I'm done being polite."
The assassin snarled. "Keep dreaming! You're the prey here!"