C13 Blossoming Dancing Paper!

"Boss, here are the latest spoils. Everything's in the bag."

"Mm-hmm."

"We've got word that some folks have reached out to the Kunoha Ninja for a mission. This base might not be secure."

"Why worry when I'm here?"

"Right, right, the boss knows best."

"Take a leaf out of Bai's book: more action, less talk, got it?"

"Yes."

......

Elsewhere.

"Ms. Kurenai, why won't you let me take action?"

Ye Fenng grumbled.

His gaze was filled with confusion as he looked at the elegant silhouette ahead.

We're nearly at the mission site, and she's telling me I can only stand by? Maybe take out a couple of minor targets at most.

"First-timers on a mission, who haven't seen blood, are there to clean up the aftermath,"

"It's just common sense."

Yūhi Kurenai explained calmly.

"But I'm not just anybody."

Ye Fenng pouted, feeling hard done by.

To travel all this way only to be a spectator was incredibly frustrating.

"I don't care."

Yūhi Kurenai turned, her response dripping with haughty defiance.

Her expression clearly conveyed she wasn't in the mood for debate.

"I, am, your, teacher."

Her blood-red eyes locked onto the young man as she enunciated each word.

"Fine..."

Ye Fenng responded, deflated.

He was at a loss on how to handle her.

Soon after.

Gazing at the conspicuous old houses atop the hill, they exchanged a glance and nodded subtly.

Each held a kunai with unprecedented focus.

Like a whisper of wind, they moved stealthily closer to the thieves' lair.

"Hey, Seventh, how was that chick from the other day?"

"Man, her body was something else. Shame about her face, not much to look at."

"Boss has been in a good mood lately. Maybe it's time to hit him up for some cash?"

"You go if you want. I'm not that brave."

The two guards at the entrance were deep in conversation, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

From behind a tree, Ms. Kurenai gave the young man a signal—it was time to make their move.

Ye Fenng nodded, and in an instant, Kurenai's figure vanished from sight.

"Just a bunch of small fry, utterly dull."

Ye Fenng stifled a yawn as he observed Kurenai skillfully and silently closing in.

Her hands deftly formed a seal, executing a simple but effective technique: Sakura no Shana. Two unsuspecting thugs were instantly lulled into a deep slumber, their heads subsequently dropping to the ground.

"Let's go."

Kurenai glanced back at the young man, her crimson lips moving without a sound.

Receiving her cue, Ye Fenng promptly followed.

Genjutsu: Nairo Clone.

Genjutsu: Three Extreme Cherry.

Magic: Tree Binding Death.

...

As Ye Fenng watched, one familiar genjutsu after another was unleashed, and with each one, heads quietly hit the floor.

Within minutes, Kurenai had effortlessly dispatched nearly twenty foes.

Only two rooms remained untouched.

Yet, from the sounds within, it was clear the enemy had sensed something amiss.

"Boss, we're under attack by a ninja!"

"We're down to just a dozen men."

"Boss..."

The ninja referred to as "boss," encircled by his subordinates, showed a flicker of rage in his eyes.

While the loss of his men was tolerable, being attacked on his own turf was deeply infuriating.

"Come on, Bai. It's time to get to work."

Drawing his chillingly sharp blade, he commanded with an icy tone.

"Yes, my lord."

The strikingly attractive young man emerged, his expression neither joyous nor sorrowful.

At a glance, it was challenging to discern his gender.

...

"What's our move, Ms. Kurenai? Do we wait for them to come out?"

Ye Fenng whispered.

His eyes lingered on Yūhi Kurenai's earnest and meticulous face.

"Now that the enemy is alerted, charging in would be unwise."

"We'll stay put and watch how they respond."

Kurenai detailed her thoughts, ignoring Ye Fenng's chivalrous gaze.

In an instant, the situation took a sharp turn.

"Water Release: Hidden Mist Jutsu."

A gruff male voice echoed from the room.

"To think someone would dare such insolence on my turf. Have the ninjas of Kunoha grown weary of life?"

The low murmur of Nozaki was laced with boundless murderous intent.

At the sound of the approaching voice, the corners of Ye Fenng's mouth twitched ever so slightly.

"Seriously? What are the odds?"

Despite the dense white fog obscuring his view, he had a hunch about the enemy's identity.

"White!"

"Yes, my lord."

Upon receiving the command, White's eyes, concealed within the mist, grew icy cold.

"Fenng!"

Recognizing the signature assassination technique of the Hidden Mist Village, Yūhi Kurenai's instincts kicked in, and she immediately grabbed Ye Fenng, urging him to flee.

The pair confronting them were formidable, likely two Jonin-level adversaries.

"Water Release: Secret Technique – Thousand Flying Water Needles!"

"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"

The simultaneous unleashing of No. 2 and White's techniques left no doubt—they intended to leave no survivors.

A deluge, like a blanket from the heavens, shattered the room in a heartbeat, with countless needles, as numerous as raindrops, hurtling towards them with the ferocity of ancient beasts.

Despite their rapid escape, they were quickly overtaken, their figures on the brink of being engulfed by the flood.

"I'm sorry, Fenng..."

Kurenai's eyes shut in despair, tears tracing her cheeks.

At such proximity, facing a wide-ranging combined ninjutsu, she was powerless to do anything but accept her fate.

After all, Kurenai's forte was solely genjutsu.

"So this is how it ends, even taking my apprentice with me. What a failure," she murmured in self-mockery.

"Ms. Kurenai, don't lose hope."

Ye Fenng offered a reassuring smile, his hand tenderly stroking Kurenai's ashen face.

He turned back to face the unstoppable torrent, a flicker of scorn in his gaze.

"Paper Dance."

A majestic pair of pristine white wings unfurled behind him, radiating an untouchable holiness as if an angel had descended.

Countless paper flowers materialized, whirling swiftly in response to the young ninja's will, forming an unbreakable barrier before them.

With a resounding crash, the two forces met, the torrent devastating the landscape.

What remained were ruins and a scattering of small pools.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

The air fell into a sudden hush, with nothing but the sound of water droplets falling from the branches piercing the silence.

"Impossible!"

Nozaki, perched atop the shattered rooftop, bellowed out his defiance.

Bai, too, gazed into the sky, his eyes wide with bewilderment.

"What, what on earth is that..."