Deep within the trees—
A massive crater scarred the ground, smoke curling upward.
Chen Linjian stood at its edge, eyes sharp.
"…Saint Fire Inscription," he muttered under his breath.
Around him, figures stepped out from the shadows.
"Surround them."
Several men emerged, weapons ready.
Karma stood a short distance away, calm as ever, hands loosely at his sides.
Beside him, Shisui's gaze was cold and precise, scanning every movement.
Chen Linjian stepped forward.
"Speak," he said evenly. "Where are you from? What do you want?"
One of the intruders smirked faintly.
Before Chen could respond—
A scroll snapped open.
SHUUU—
Flames roared into existence.
"Retreat!" someone shouted.
"Protect Young Master Chen!"
Blazing fireballs rained downward in violent arcs.
From the treeline, Karma's eyes narrowed slightly.
"They're from the Darkness Association," he said calmly.
Several blazing projectiles shot straight toward Chen.
Before they could land—
One of Chen Linjian's guards lunged forward, intercepting the blast and deflecting it aside.
At the same time—
Another explosion hurtled toward Karma.
In a single smooth motion, Shisui stepped in front of him.
His palm glowed faintly with controlled soul force.
He redirected the blast upward—
BOOM!
The explosion tore into the sky instead of the ground, flames scattering like meteors above the treetops.
Karma didn't even flinch.
"…Careful," he said lightly.
Shisui didn't reply—his focus was already back on the attackers.
The intruders regrouped.
"Kill them!" one barked.
They charged forward.
Steel clashed. Trees splintered. Soul force rippled through the clearing.
Nie Li arrived just in time to see the chaos erupt.
"Young Master Chen!" someone shouted.
Chen stood firm amid the aftermath of the flames.
"Is it demon beasts?" one of the students asked nervously.
Chen's expression darkened.
"No. Not demon beasts."
He glanced at the fallen bodies nearby.
"We've been followed by three Silver-Ranked fighters."
One corpse lay scorched and broken.
"Even though we killed one," Chen continued coldly, "we let the other two escape—though they were heavily injured."
His gaze hardened.
"They even used a secret technique to destroy his body… leaving us with nothing."
The forest fell tense and silent once more.
This was no accident.
Someone had sent them.
And this was only the beginning.
The smoke slowly cleared.
The group gathered around the aftermath, tension still thick in the air.
A member from sacred family bitterly thought
"One dead… two injured? How can this be…?"
"We must inform Boss Shen Xue!"
Nie Li stood quietly among them, eyes thoughtful.
Chen Linjian's expression darkened slightly.
"I think…" he said slowly, "…sometimes people are scarier than demon beasts."
Silence followed his words.
Then he straightened.
"Let's go back and resume our journey."
The team moved out again.
Sunlight filtered through the forest canopy as they descended toward a rocky stretch of land beyond the trees.
Behind the group, murmurs spread.
"I wonder what the background of those three Silver-Ranked experts is…"
"Young Master Chen says they're from the Darkness Association."
"Huh?!"
Whispers turned to agitation.
"People from the Darkness Association? They deserve to die!"
"That's right!"
"Tch!"
Shen Yue clenched his fists, face flushed with anger.
"So Chen Linjian thought they were from the Darkness Association…" he muttered under his breath. "Damn it. It's going to be difficult to explain losing a Silver-Ranked fighter…"
His eyes flicked toward the front of the group.
"…Looks like I'll have to deal with him myself."
Ahead, several students gathered around Nie li speaking animatedly.
"But I don't know why," someone said, "Chen Linjian seems to think highly of him. And the others are starting to trust him too."
Nie li walked calmly at the front, posture steady.
The group believed the danger had passed.
The group finally slowed after putting distance between themselves and the ambush site.
The tension hadn't fully faded, but the immediate danger had passed.
Among the gathered students, a pink-haired girl stepped forward confidently.
She had been traveling with the group from the beginning—quiet, observant—but now she moved with purpose.
Her boots pressed softly against the grass as she approached Nie Li.
She smiled warmly.
"I don't believe we've properly introduced ourselves."
Nie Li looked up.
"I am Huan Lanruo," she said gracefully. "A friend of Young Master Chen."
There was a subtle weight to her name.
Nie Li's eyes flickered slightly.
Huan Lanruo…
The future head of the Huan Family. She's not someone insignificant.
He nodded politely. "Nie Li."
She studied him for a moment longer than necessary.
"So you're the one Young Master Chen has been praising."
"Just doing my part," Nie Li replied calmly.
She hummed softly.
Interesting.
Then her gaze shifted.
To Karma.
Her smile sharpened slightly.
"Karma Uzumaki," she greeted. "You look the same."
Karma tilted his head lazily.
"And you still look like trouble."
She placed a hand lightly on her hip. "That's not an answer."
"It is," Karma replied. "You only appear when something exciting is happening."
He leaned slightly closer.
"Or when someone exciting is."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Oh?"
"You didn't come for ruins."
Pause.
"You came because Shisui was coming."
Silence.
A faint blush colored her cheeks.
"That's absurd."
Karma nodded thoughtfully.
"Mhm. Of course."
Chen Linjian coughed lightly, clearly amused.
Before Lanruo could retort—
A calm voice approached from behind.
"Lanruo."
She froze.
Then turned.
And everything about her expression softened.
The sharp confidence melted into warmth.
"Shisui…"
Her voice dropped slightly.
"It's been a while."
Shisui stopped at a respectful distance.
"Yes," he replied evenly. "You seem well."
She stepped closer.
Just a little too close.
"You didn't visit," she said gently. "I thought perhaps you forgot me."
Shisui's posture remained perfect.
"I was assigned to internal security rotations."
"You're always assigned," she said softly. "You work too hard."
Behind her back, her fingers twisted together briefly.
Nervous.
He noticed.
He said nothing.
"You've grown stronger," she continued, her eyes bright. "Redirecting that blast earlier… that was beautiful."
Karma made a choking sound from behind.
Chen Linjian covered his mouth to hide a grin.
Ye Ziyun tilted her head slightly, watching with clear interest.
Shisui responded calmly.
"…Thank you."
But there was the faintest stiffness in his shoulders now.
Lanruo leaned a little closer.
"You didn't even look at the blast," she continued softly. "You just moved."
"It was calculated," Shisui replied.
She smiled.
"That's what I like about you."
There it was.
Direct.
Chen Linjian's shoulders began to shake slightly.
Karma leaned toward him and whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear.
"He's under attack."
Ziyun tried to suppress a smile.
Shisui remained composed.
Completely composed.
Externally.
Internally—
Maintain distance.
Do not escalate.
Do not encourage.
Stay professional.
Lanruo tilted her head.
"You'll walk beside me, won't you?"
It sounded innocent.
It wasn't.
Shisui paused for half a second.
"…I will remain near the rear formation."
She smiled brightly.
"That's perfect."
Karma burst into laughter.
"Oh, this is gold."
Lanruo shot him a glare.
"You're enjoying this too much."
"Absolutely," Karma replied without shame.
Chen Linjian added mildly, "It's rare to see Captain Shisui cornered."
Ziyun folded her arms, smirking slightly.
"I didn't know he struggled with this kind of opponent."
Shisui closed his eyes briefly.
Just once.
When he opened them again, his expression was calm.
"Please focus on the mission."
Lanruo leaned slightly toward him again.
"I am focused."
Chen Linjian completely lost his composure at that point and looked away.
Karma whispered to Nie Li:
"He's losing badly."
Nie Li glanced at Shisui's perfectly composed face.
"He looks stable."
"Exactly," Karma replied. "He has no idea what to do."
Shisui's jaw tightened very slightly.
Almost imperceptibly.
Lanruo noticed.
And smiled.
The group resumed walking.
But now—
The forest felt lighter.
The danger remained.
But among them—
A new kind of tension had formed.
And for the first time on this journey—
Shisui Uchiha looked like he'd rather face three Silver-Rank assassins than one smiling girl.