Konoha: Who Says the Shinobi World Can't Play Hunter?

Chapter 37: Survival Exercise 6

Kazama carefully wrapped his swollen forearm with bandages and secured it in a sling against his chest. Then, he stood up, this time without hesitation, and drew his sword himself.

"Kazama, I know you're nearby and can hear me," Shirakumo Asaema called out, his voice steady but with a hint of challenge. "As a teacher, I acknowledge your skills. You and your team have passed my test. But as an opponent, your abilities intrigue me. Show me your full strength. Let me see how far you can go. From now on, I won't hold back—be careful."

Of course, Kazama could hear him. His reconnaissance methods weren't limited to sensory techniques—he also had three physical aids. His wolves had already transmitted Asaema's words to him through his earpiece.

"Damn so-called elite jōnin. Can't accept defeat, huh? Singling me out like this? Fine. Just you wait. If I don't leave you looking like a mess, I'm not Kazama Maruboshi."

Asaema's provocation infuriated Kazama. The man had ended the test, let his teammates go, and singled him out—was this personal? Kazama tried to recall if he had done anything to offend him. Other than that one crossbow shot that hit him, there didn't seem to be any other interactions. This level of targeting was just ridiculous.

"...No response?" Asaema frowned. He had expected at least some kind of reply.

Gripping his sword tightly, even with his injured arm, Asaema felt his confidence returning. Without hesitation, he leapt into the trees, heading towards the direction where the crossbow bolt had come from.

Of course, he found nothing. The pit beneath the tree where Kazama had fired from was well-hidden, and although Asaema was certain the shot had come from here, Kazama had already moved on.

This kind of cowardly combat was infuriating. Asaema still hadn't even caught a glimpse of Kazama, yet he had already suffered multiple calculated attacks. Even the calmest person had their limits.

"Wind Release: Vacuum Blade!"

In his frustration, Asaema unleashed his full strength. A devastating wind blade swept across the training ground, carving a vast clearing through the dense forest.

"Let's see how you hide now, Kazama!"

If Kazama was like a rat hiding in the shadows, then Asaema would remove his cover and force him into the open. His Vacuum Blade not only cut down all obstacles but also expanded his field of vision, making it impossible for Kazama to launch more sneak attacks from the trees.

For an ordinary sniper, this would have been an effective strategy. Without trees for cover, they would be exposed, forced to engage in direct combat.

But Kazama was no ordinary sniper.

Kazama's crossbow had a range of over 400 meters, and its maximum range exceeded 1,000 meters. He didn't need to be anywhere near the battlefield to strike.

Kazama smirked. "Fine, you want to single me out? Let's see how you like this."

He activated a storage seal.

"Unseal—Ballista!"

A massive ballista, the size of a double bed, appeared before him. It was loaded with five oversized bolts, each as thick as a thumb.

Unlike his usual precision crossbow, this ballista wasn't about accuracy—it was about sheer destructive power.

Kazama carefully cranked the winch, feeling the tension in the bowstring. The power was immense—enough that he had to handle it with extreme caution.

Through the scope mounted on the ballista, Kazama spotted Asaema standing right in the center of his newly cleared area.

"Wow. You really just stood there? You even positioned yourself perfectly in the middle?"

Kazama considered aiming slightly ahead to compensate for Asaema's reflexes but dismissed the idea.

"Forget it. I doubt this will actually kill him."

With a hammer blow, he released the trigger.

The ballista fired.

"Whishhhhhh!"

Asaema instantly sensed the incoming attack. He had expected Kazama to take the shot, but when he saw the sheer size of the projectiles, his pupils contracted sharply.

"What the—?"

These weren't ordinary bolts. They were huge, reinforced projectiles, fired with enough force to shred through most defenses.

And the worst part?

The shot had come from behind dense tree cover—which meant Asaema's strategy had completely failed.

"Dammit, I didn't even force him into the open!"

His only option was to counter the attack.

"Wind Release: Vacuum Blade!"

With his sword held behind him, Asaema swung in a massive arc. A powerful wind slash expanded outward, obliterating everything in its path.

The five ballista bolts met the wind blade mid-flight.

Their iron tips resisted momentarily, but without the shaft and fletching to stabilize them, they quickly lost momentum and scattered off-course.

Kazama cursed under his breath. "Of course he has another Vacuum Blade ready."

Without hesitation, he cranked the winch again, preparing for another volley.

Asaema, meanwhile, had activated the Body Flicker Technique, closing the distance rapidly.

"He's coming straight at me," Kazama realized. "At this range, I won't have time for a third shot."

But he still had one last attack.

The second volley fired.

Hearing the ominous creaking of the ballista, Asaema's scalp tingled.

He had gotten too close—now the bolts would reach him even faster.

He had two choices: Dodge or defend.

"Damn it! No time to dodge—!"

He raised his sword to deflect one bolt, but the impact was immense. The sheer momentum of the shot sent shockwaves up his arm, making it impossible to counter the rest.

Three missed him entirely, embedding themselves halfway into the ground behind him.

One was parried, but the final pierced his shoulder, carrying him backward through the air before pinning him to the ground.

Asaema spat out a mouthful of blood, then slumped, motionless.

Kazama's heart stopped.

"Holy sh— Did I just kill him?!"

For a moment, his mind went blank.

Then—

Poof!

Asaema's body transformed into a wooden log.

A Substitution Technique.

Kazama exhaled sharply, but his relief was short-lived.

A sudden chill ran down his spine.

Instinct took over.

Kazama drew his sword and slashed behind him.

CLANG!

His blade clashed against Asaema's, who had appeared directly behind him.

Kazama gritted his teeth.

"Damn ninjas and their teleportation tricks!"

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You can read advance chapters ahead on patreon.com/fishkiss69, I will upload 1 extra chapter every day there.

THANK YOU

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