Haruki pondered for a moment.
What was this supposed to be?
Pre-emptive practice?
So that Yahiko and Nagato would have some experience dealing with this matter in the future.
Looking at it this way, this assassination wasn't entirely bad.
Haruki looked at Yahiko and Nagato beside him, curiosity hidden in his eyes.
How would Yahiko and Nagato handle it?
"Don't hurt her!" Yahiko shouted nervously at the ninja.
The blood flowing down Konan's fair neck was like a sharp blade, splitting Yahiko's body in two.
Haruki, Nagato, Konan.
Yahiko couldn't accept the death of any one of them.
The one who lived would be the most pained.
The only thing he could accept was his own death.
At this moment, Yahiko seemed to have come to terms with many things. It didn't matter if he died. Haruki would carry on their dreams. In that way, he would still be alive.
A smile appeared on Yahiko's face, but it was incredibly stiff, like a mask on his face, and his eyes were instantly covered with a film of tears.
He wasn't afraid to die. He couldn't bear to leave everyone. He really couldn't bear it.
"You let her go."
"I'll die."
Yahiko trembled as he pulled out a kunai from his ninja tool pouch.
At this moment, his soul seemed to have detached from his body, standing calmly from an outsider's perspective, watching his body begin to move. He didn't know why he could be so calm.
"Yahiko..."
"No!"
Konan's tears gushed out, a hint of hatred flashed in her eyes.
If it came to this, she would rather die now. She would never let Yahiko and the others be threatened because of her.
Nagato's pupils dilated, staring blankly at Yahiko.
Seeing this, Haruki knew that Nagato was once again immersed in his own world. Nagato at this time was extremely unreliable.
A hint of determination flashed in Konan's eyes. She glared hatefully at the ninja holding her, took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and, in the ninja's shocked gaze, lunged towards the kunai.
Konan was too fast, so fast that even the ninja didn't react.
"Konan!"
Yahiko rushed towards Konan like lightning, tears overflowing from his eyes.
Bang!
Konan's neck suddenly hit something cold.
It wasn't the feel of a blade, at least she didn't feel any sharp pain.
Konan's eyes snapped open.
What appeared before her was a gentle smiling face.
Stitches covered his cheeks, but it didn't affect the smile on his face at all.
"Oh dear..."
"How can you be so harsh on such a cute little girl?"
Mahito held the kunai in the ninja's hand with one hand and grabbed the ninja's head with the other.
"Run away, little sister."
Mahito smiled at Konan. "Otherwise, you'll be scared."
Goosebumps instantly rose on Konan's arms, and she involuntarily retreated until her back hit Haruki.
Haruki grabbed Konan's wrist and pulled Konan behind him.
[Ding!]
[System detected Konan's Affection value +5000]
[Your Love Curse growth value has risen to 51.3%]
Haruki looked at Mahito and said, "He's yours."
Mahito showed a sweet smile. "Mm-hm. Okay."
He was very willing.
Mahito cupped the ninja's head in his hands. He seemed not to see the deep fear on the ninja's face.
The ninja's body stiffened, unable to move. He wanted to move, he wanted to escape, but he couldn't. His brain was being squeezed.
No!
More precisely, his soul... his soul was being manipulated.
If he moved even slightly, his head would explode.
The ninja's pupils twitched in his eye sockets as if electrocuted. He opened his mouth but couldn't utter a single word.
Only fear.
Only regret.
Why did he come here?
Why did he take this mission?
"You're really disobedient, why would you threaten a cute little girl?" Mahito asked in confusion.
Hearing Mahito's perverse question, Haruki's expression was complex.
A Cursed Spirit lecturing a human?
It was completely upside down.
"Don't you know that if you do this, my master will be sad?" Mahito turned back and smiled sweetly at Haruki.
...
Now Haruki also got goosebumps.
"What do you think I should do to punish you?" Mahito asked as if troubled.
The ninja opened his mouth, fragmented gasps squeezed from his throat. He couldn't even form a complete sentence but his eyes were filled with a plea for help.
Don't kill me!
I know I was wrong!
Bang!
The ninja's head exploded like a ripe watermelon smashed on the ground, blood and brain matter splattering the wall.
Mahito stood still, reached out to touch the blood on his face, and kicked the headless corpse lying on the ground.
[Ding!]
[System detected Rōnin A's fear value +3000]
[Ding!]
[System detected Rōnin B's fear value +3000]
[Ding!]
[System detected Rōnin C's fear value +3000]
[Currently, 12000 fear points have been collected. Your Cursed Spirit Hanami's rank has risen to 92.37%]
Yahiko and Konan stood behind Haruki, their pupils dilated, staring unblinkingly at the scene before them.
So much blood...
Yahiko and Konan's trembling pupils gradually focused on Haruki in front of them. It was all because of them. Haruki did all this to protect them. Haruki always protected them.
If it weren't for Haruki, they would be the ones lying in a pool of blood right now.
A chill rose from their feet, spreading throughout Yahiko and Konan's bodies.
"Stitches, heterochromia, instant death upon touch..."
"He is..."
"Haruki!"
The name simultaneously appeared in the minds of the ninja and samurai hiding in the shadows.
Sunagakure had spread Haruki's intel throughout the entire Ninja World.
Most of the ninja and samurai located at the border had heard this name, and it had even become the main topic of their after-dinner conversations. And now, the owner of that name stood before them.
If it weren't for the first ninja's assassination, they wouldn't have recognized the person in front of them as Haruki.
Haruki was not like ordinary genius ninja. He was a genius who had truly been on the battlefield, returned unscathed, and left a formidable reputation in enemy territory.
How could these Rōnin, who had drifted to the border, be a match for such a ninja?
"Alright, you can go back now." Haruki said to Mahito.
Mahito: "..."
Going back so soon?
He hadn't had enough fun yet.
A purple vortex swallowed Mahito's figure.
The ninjas in the shadows collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
Haruki stroked the ring on his finger and called softly.
"Come out, Rika."