Genshin was forced out of his concealed state in a rather disheveled manner, once again exposed to the enemy's sight.
To be fair, the enemy's self-detonation wasn't a wrong decision—it just came at the wrong moment. The best way to counter the Mayfly Technique is with wide-range jutsu. No matter how well someone hides or how fast they move, flattening them with an area-of-effect strike is the most effective tactic.
A kunai pierced the mist with a thud, embedding itself into Hanemiya Genshin's shoulder. Blood splattered instantly. Fortunately, the pain in his shoulder helped clear the dizziness clouding his mind from the explosion's shockwave.
A shadow appeared in the mist. A glint of cold steel flashed from Genshin's blind spot.
"Earth Release!"
The attacker shouted the technique name while launching his strike, trying to alert his remaining teammates. From his perspective, Genshin must have been using some kind of Earth Release technique to move stealthily and perform assassinations.
But that hasty conclusion was misleading.
Genshin lunged forward with his left foot to stabilize himself, engaging his back muscles. He twisted his torso and leaned back, narrowly dodging a decapitating blow. Still, the blade grazed his upper arm, leaving a shallow cut.
The enemy flipped his wrist, reversing his grip on the blade, and swiftly slashed backward. Genshin could only twist his body again in the direction of the strike, dodging once more.
The cold glint of the blade stimulated Genshin's senses. The chill on his skin sharpened his focus. His breathing became calm and steady.
However, under the relentless assault, he finally lost his balance. Falling backward, he braced himself with one arm to avoid collapsing completely.
The enemy kicked him hard in the stomach, sending him flying in a curled position.
His back slammed into a protruding boulder. The impact knocked the wind out of him, but he had no time to worry about the pain—he immediately rolled sideways.
Clang!
The enemy's short blade struck the spot where Genshin had just landed. The pursuit was swift and relentless, leaving Genshin no room to counterattack.
He rolled forward again and again, evading further attacks while adjusting his posture. Only then was he able to regain a proper fighting stance.
The enemy's attacks were quick and aggressive. The short blade slashed toward Genshin's upper torso with brutal precision, never straying from his centerline.
Clearly, this was a taijutsu specialist. The flurry of attacks was intended to force Genshin's hands apart, preventing him from forming hand seals.
It was a sound strategy—if a bit condescending. After all, Genshin hadn't relied heavily on ninjutsu until now. So how had he survived this long on the battlefield?
This enemy was just a chūnin, far from capable of neutralizing another ninja's ability to cast jutsu.
Such relentless offense is hard to sustain, and the instant the enemy's rhythm faltered, Genshin slipped to the side to dodge, then hooked a kunai from his tool pouch with his right hand.
As the enemy switched from slashing to thrusting and surged forward again, Genshin suddenly swung the kunai upward.
Clang!
With a crisp metallic ring, the loop of Genshin's kunai caught the edge of the enemy's blade. He twisted his wrist hard, locking the weapon, then yanked in the direction of the enemy's own momentum.
The short blade was torn from the enemy's grip. Genshin released his kunai at the same time and used the pulling motion to draw the enemy closer.
Then, with his right leg braced, he drove his knee straight into the opponent's gut.
The strike was powerful enough to cause internal bleeding. Blood spilled from the enemy's mouth. His knees buckled, and he stumbled back two steps.
Agonizing pain twisted the enemy's face. He instinctively looked up—only to see Genshin's hands already pressed together, the final seal completed:
Fire Release: Will-o'-the-Wisp Technique!
The air distorted from the heat. Orange-red fireballs of varying sizes surged forward, each trailing a streaming tail. Though made of flame, the technique resembled a basin of water being flung outward in a wide arc.
The taijutsu ninja had no room to dodge—he didn't even manage a proper reaction before the fan-shaped flames engulfed him.
Once the fire made contact, it clung and would not extinguish. The enemy's shrieks echoed out, but within twenty seconds, his screams ceased. His limbs twitched reflexively, then stilled. Soon, his charred body resembled a log consumed by fire.
With the threat eliminated, Genshin didn't spare him a second glance. He turned his gaze toward the last remaining enemy not far away.
Clearly, that ninja had intended to rush in and assist his companion. But the horrific screams and the sight of his teammate's demise made him freeze in place.
To him, Genshin's gaze held no hatred, no anger, no joy, no sadness—only a chilling calm that bordered on inhuman. It wasn't the gaze one directed at an enemy… or a friend. It was how one looked at an object.
Watching his comrades fall one by one, and now being the last target, the remaining ninja—just a genin—could no longer bear the suffocating psychological pressure. He turned and fled.
But—
Thwack.
Before he got far, a kunai pierced his heart from behind with a crisp thud.
This ninja was actually younger than Genshin. But... if you don't kill, someone will kill you.
"Was… it some kind of… secret technique… that took down… the captain?" he gasped with his dying breath.
It was clear that their misfortune began with the captain's death. Had the captain contributed anything to the fight, their squad might not have ended up like this.
"Secret technique? No… I only used basic nin—" Genshin paused, reconsidering, then changed his response. "No secret techniques. Just ordinary ninjutsu."
The mist stirred up by Water and Fire Releases had finally dissipated. Genshin's hair, damp with sweat and mist, clung to his forehead. His clothes were soaked through. The battle hadn't lasted long, nor had it been particularly intense, yet it had strained him to his mental limits.
Still, the mission objective was essentially complete. Genshin took a deep breath, letting the chilly, damp air cool his overheated lungs.
Now, it was time to go support the others.