"What're you staring at?! Keep looking, and I'll gouge your eyes out, you little Konoha punk!"
"You can trash-talk me all you want, but I won't let you insult Konoha!"
Kazama wasn't one to stir up trouble, but he sure as hell wasn't going to back down from someone picking a fight.
"Quit yapping! I'm insulting you—so what?!"
The guy let out a furious roar and pulled three long blades from his cloak.
"Konoha punk, today's your last day! Watch me, Kusoichiro, carve you into pieces!"
"Kusoichiro, huh? That name fits your scrawny look perfectly," Kazama quipped, barely holding back a laugh at the guy's name and dramatic pose.
"You're dead, kid! Kusoichiro's a master with ninja tools. His three blades never miss!"
"Get him, Kusoichiro! Wipe out that Konoha brat!"
Egged on by the crowd's cheers, Kusoichiro's confidence soared. He charged at Kazama, blades flashing.
Kazama, however, didn't budge an inch, letting Kusoichiro's blades come right for him.
"Ha! Scared stiff, huh? Forgot how to dodge? Pathetic!" Kusoichiro cackled.
"Holy—!"
Just as Kusoichiro thought he'd slice Kazama to bits, his blades hit Kazama's body—and both he and his weapons were sent flying backward. Blood poured from the torn skin between his thumbs and fingers, and his three prized blades were shattered into pieces.
The once-rowdy arena fell deathly silent as Kusoichiro hit the ground.
No one could believe it. This unassuming Kazama hadn't even lifted a finger, yet he'd sent Kusoichiro flying and reduced his blades to scraps. It was beyond anyone's expectations.
"This can't be! I, Kusoichiro, have never lost when bullying the weak and helpless. How could I capsize in a ditch and lose to this Konoha punk?!"
The more Kusoichiro thought about it, the more he felt cheated. He jumped to his feet, yelling at Kazama.
"You cheating bastard!"
"Enough whining. When you lose, you own it. When you take a hit, you stand tall. That's how it works. You lost, so now I expect an apology," Kazama said calmly.
"Apologize to your mom! I'm insulting Konoha, so what? The Land of Fire is trash, and Konoha's the trashiest of the trash. Got a problem? Come at me, idiot!"
SLAP!
Before Kusoichiro could finish his rant, Kazama's ghostly figure flickered in front of him. A single slap sent him sprawling to the ground.
"I'm giving you one more chance. Apologize to Konoha, or I'll make you regret it," Kazama warned.
Terrified by Kazama's display of power, Kusoichiro briefly considered backing down. But then he remembered he was on home turf—why should he fear this outsider? Instead of apologizing, he slyly launched a hidden weapon, thinking Kazama's close range would guarantee a hit.
Big mistake. The moment the weapon flew, a green flame erupted from Kazama's body, instantly reducing both the projectile and Kusoichiro's right hand to ashes.
Kusoichiro writhed on the ground, screaming in agony. That green flame was the Nether Poison Fire, laced with deadly venom. Within moments, the poison would stop his heart. Kazama, showing a sliver of mercy, let him linger a bit longer—otherwise, he'd have been incinerated on the spot.
"Pretty bold, huh? A Konoha ninja daring to cause trouble in our Kumogakure!"
A scarred-faced man stepped forward, and the crowd parted nervously, clearly aware of his reputation.
"It's not causing trouble—it's self-defense. He attacked me with a hidden weapon. Was I supposed to just stand there?" Kazama replied, unfazed by the man's intimidating presence.
"Take him away!"
At the man's command, his lackeys moved to drag Kusoichiro off. But before they could touch him, Kusoichiro's legs twitched, and he was gone—dead on the spot.
"Captain Blackfang, this…" one of the lackeys stammered.
The scarred man, called Blackfang, glared at Kazama. "Nice move, kid. Using poison, huh? Let's see how you like what's coming next!"
Blackfang shot a glance at the official arranging the match order. The official nodded quickly, swapping Blackfang's next opponent to Kazama.
Kazama caught the sneaky exchange and smirked. "Alright, let's see how you're gonna 'make me pay'!"
When the referee called his name, Kazama strode confidently onto the arena stage.