"There's no need to kill Aoyama Ryuyun," Sarutobi Shinnosuke muttered under his breath. "And it doesn't matter if his identity gets exposed."
He smirked, stepping forward confidently.
"Are you that sure of yourself?"
Aoyama Ryuyun didn't panic — not even slightly.
On the contrary, a faint smile tugged at his lips, as if amused by the situation.
Confident? You call that confidence? he thought, suppressing a laugh.
"Hmph! I know who you are, Aoyama Ryuyun! Your dual-wielding sword style is impressive, but it's a pity—you didn't bring your swords today, did you?"
Indeed, Ryuyun rarely carried his weapons when walking around the village. Today was no exception.
That was precisely where Sarutobi Shinnosuke's confidence came from.
A few days earlier, his younger brother Asuma had come to him, fuming about a certain swordsman who'd "humiliated" him in public.
Though Shinnosuke had been exasperated by Asuma's immaturity, he was still his brother.
So, out of familial obligation—and a hint of curiosity—he'd agreed to "teach Aoyama Ryuyun a lesson."
"Don't worry," Shinnosuke said now, cracking his knuckles. "I'll only beat you up a little. I won't kill you."
"…"
Ryuyun could only look at him blankly, utterly speechless.
The sheer confidence radiating from the Hokage's eldest son almost made him laugh aloud.
"Are all Sarutobi children this confident?" he muttered, half to himself.
"First Asuma, now you… truly brothers."
"Hmph! Without your swords, what are you?" Shinnosuke sneered.
He had never witnessed Ryuyun's strength firsthand, and although the man's reputation was fearsome, Shinnosuke—being a recognized genius of the Sarutobi clan—couldn't help but underestimate him.
Now, seeing Ryuyun unarmed, he felt even less pressure.
"Earth Release — Cracked Earth Palm!"
He formed hand seals in quick succession. The ground beneath his feet split apart, the fissures racing toward Aoyama Ryuyun like snapping jaws.
"Earth Scroll."
Ryuyun's quiet voice carried no urgency. Instantly, the tremors stopped; the earth stilled before it could reach him.
"Bloodline Limit?" Shinnosuke muttered, frowning.
It was the same as before—no hand signs, no chakra flow he could sense, and yet the jutsu activated perfectly.
"With your level of understanding," Ryuyun said casually, "even if I explained it, you wouldn't comprehend."
"You—!"
That tone. That calm, condescending tone.
Shinnosuke's pride flared immediately.
"I was only planning to give you a lesson," he snapped, "but now—I'll break one of your arms! Let's see you use your fancy dual blades after that!"
"Body Flicker!"
With a puff of dust, Shinnosuke's figure vanished.
Ryuyun didn't move. His expression remained composed, indifferent.
Through his Kenbunshoku Haki, he could sense Shinnosuke's movements as clearly as if they were painted across the air.
"Swish! Swish! Swish!"
A flurry of shuriken flew from the dense forest, their edges gleaming coldly as they cut through the air.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
Ryuyun raised his forearm to block. The shuriken collided against it, sparks flashing with each impact.
Hidden in the trees, Shinnosuke's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Nani…? Blocking shuriken with his arm?! That's impossible!"
An ordinary human arm couldn't withstand the force of sharpened steel.
But Aoyama Ryuyun's wasn't ordinary — his forearm gleamed faintly, enveloped in Armament Haki, the ink-black aura reflecting the light like tempered metal.
Lowering his arm slowly, Ryuyun smiled faintly in Shinnosuke's direction.
"Danger…" Shinnosuke's instincts screamed at him. Even without movement, the air around Ryuyun felt heavy—predatory.
"Earth Scroll…"
His calm voice carried through the forest again. The ground trembled violently.
Eyes like those of a lion king glinted faintly through the dust.
"Soaring Dragon."
Boom!
The earth exploded upward, and a massive rock dragon burst forth, roaring as it surged toward Shinnosuke.
"Not good!"
Shinnosuke's figure blurred repeatedly as he used the Body Flicker Technique, vanishing from one spot to another in rapid succession.
But no matter where he appeared, the rock dragon turned with him, twisting its massive body midair to pursue.
At this point, it was no longer a chase — it was a game.
"Damn it!"
An Elite Jōnin and the Hokage's son, Sarutobi Shinnosuke wasn't easily rattled. But this—this was humiliation.
To be toyed with so easily…
"Earth Release — Earth Dragon Bullet!" he roared, countering while in motion.
As the dragon of rock bore down on him, a second dragon of earth surged upward, firing volleys of hardened mud shells toward Ryuyun.
But Ryuyun didn't even flinch.
He hadn't moved from his original spot since the fight began.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Each earthen projectile exploded against another rising wall of stone — summoned effortlessly beneath his feet.
"Damn it!" Shinnosuke snarled. "What kind of ability is this?! Controlling the terrain itself?!"
As the dust cleared, Ryuyun's silhouette emerged—unharmed, unshaken. His expression, however, had changed.
His eyes gleamed, sharp and dangerous.
"Hmph," Shinnosuke smirked. "Even if I can't beat you right now, don't think you can—"
Before he could finish, his words cut off abruptly.
Aoyama Ryuyun's figure had vanished from sight—without a sound, without a trace.
Shinnosuke's pupils shrank.
He hadn't seen the movement at all.
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