Chapter 10 - The First Kill and the Awakening

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Mi Blade leaned against the ancient tree, staring up at the sky like he was contemplating the universe—or maybe just what snack he’d get after the mission.

“You know, aside from being a real pain in the dirt,” he said, his voice casual, “you’re the first Uchiha who hasn’t hated me.”

Uchiha Yu, who had perfected the art of the cool, half-smile, shook her head. “That’s because your mother helped me out once.”

Mi Blade nodded sagely, like he had just unlocked some deep secret of the ninja world.

“Ah, I see. So that’s why you don’t think I’m the worst thing to happen to the Uchiha clan.

As they relaxed during their break, trying to ignore the looming doom of their mission, Saki strolled off to the fort to get the mission deets. When he returned, he was all business.

“Alright, listen up. We’ve spotted a team of four from the Land of Rain about two kilometers west. One of them is a ninja, and the other three are...well, also ninjas, but less important ninjas.

Anyway, you three will handle them, and I’ll swoop in after you’re done, like the responsible adult I am.”

“Got it!” they shouted, a weird mix of eager and mildly terrified.

Mi Blade’s heart was doing somersaults. Sure, he’d trained for this—fire awareness and all that—but the idea of actually fighting, let alone killing someone, was making him more jittery than a squirrel on espresso.

Taking a couple of deep breaths, trying to channel his inner ninja zen (which mostly involved pretending he was way cooler than he felt).

In the western woods, the team from the Land of Rain was having what could only be described as a pretty tense picnic.

Two of them were chomping on rations like it was their last meal, while the other two stood guard, eyes darting around like paranoid meerkats.

Saki signaled for the group to hide.

Mi Blade crouched down in the bushes, peeking through the leaves like a squirrel spying on a bag of nuts.

“Hey,” he whispered to himself, “if I walk out there with my adorable five-year-old face, do you think they’ll just hand over their weapons and give me candy?”

But the more he thought about it, the more he realized—yeah, not happening. These were ninjas, not doting grandparents. If he tried that, the only thing he'd get would be a face full of sharp, pointy objects.

After a quick observation, Saki whipped out a plan. He signaled for the trio to scatter like ninja confetti, then took the lead, hurling two weapons like he was trying out for the ninja Olympics.

The Rain Village ninjas immediately sensed something was up, their paranoia kicking in like someone had just offered them a mystery sandwich. They dodged the incoming attack, diving away like they’d spotted a clearance sale.

In that split second, Mi Blade and his squad leaped into action. Mi Blade, sword in hand, charged straight at one of the ninjas. His target, clearly unprepared for a five-year-old coming at him like a pint-sized tornado, fumbled to raise his kunai in defense.

“Steel Flash Strike!” Mi Blade yelled, putting all the drama into it that a five-year-old could muster.

His sword whooshed through the air, and his opponent’s expression shifted from “I got this” to “Oh no, I definitely don’t got this,” as Mi Blade’s overly theatrical but surprisingly effective attack left him scrambling.

The fight was on, and Mi Blade was feeling pretty confident—for a kid whose backup plan was literally to use his baby face!

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Though both were Shinnin, Mi Blade’s hyperactive approach gave him the upper hand, while the Yuren relied on his extensive combat experience—like a grizzled old pro facing off against an over-caffeinated toddler.

Anticipating Mi Blade’s charge, the Yuren dodged with the finesse of someone who’d clearly been through more than their share of ninja training. But Mi Blade had other plans; he was like a dog chasing a squirrel, fueled by pure instinct and excitement.

“Water Release: Water Dragon Bomb!” the Yuren shouted, trying to create some distance like he was setting up a dramatic exit from a bad date.

In response, Mi Blade hastily formed hand seals, his movements a chaotic mix of excitement and the urgency of someone who really needed to pee.

As the watery dragon zipped toward him, the Yuren braced for impact, realizing too late that dodging a five-year-old with a sword wasn’t exactly in his training manual.

“Fireball Technique, baby!” Mi Blade yelled, throwing his hands out like he was about to unleash a musical number rather than a battle technique.

The fireball shot out, and the ensuing chaos was nothing short of spectacular—if spectacular meant splattering a little red paint all over Mi Blade’s face, giving him an accidental horror movie makeover.

Despite his initial bravado, the reality of taking a life hit him like a sledgehammer—and not a cartoon sledgehammer, either, but one of those heavy ones that makes your knees buckle.

As the battle unfolded, Mi Blade found himself on his knees, staring up at the sky like he was trying to find the right constellation for his next dramatic monologue. A rush of emotions washed over him, and he realized this was not quite the video game experience he had envisioned.

But as he fell to the ground, his eyes sparkled with a newfound intensity, like he had just discovered the secret to perfect ramen.

“I’m growing as a ninja!” he thought, trying to ignore the fact that his growth might also include an existential crisis.

The battle raged on, with Mi Blade pulling off surprise attacks like a ninja magician, using Yurenin tactics to keep the enemy guessing—who knew “Look over there!” could be such an effective strategy?

Meanwhile, Uchiha Yu dispatched another Yunin with the elegance of a dancer at a ballet recital, making it look easy while the Yunin flailed like a fish out of water.

On the flip side, Kamikawaki was stuck in a tight spot, grappling with an opponent who clearly had more combat experience than he did—like a toddler trying to outmaneuver a veteran wrestler. It was almost tragic, except for the absurdity of the situation.

But the real spectacle? Saki and the enemy's Jonin were locked in a fierce back-and-forth that looked like a high-stakes game of rock-paper-scissors, but with way more explosions and much less rhyme or reason.

They hurled ninjutsu and ninja tools like they were in the grand finals of an invisible tournament, sparks flying around like it was New Year’s Eve and they were too excited to hold back.

Amidst the chaos, Uchiha Yu shot a glance at Mi Blade, who seemed to be down for the count—literally. She rushed over, only to find him lying flat on the ground, staring blankly at the sky like he was trying to count the clouds.

With an exaggerated roll of her eyes, she nudged him with her foot. “If you’re not hurt, stop acting like a dead fish! I swear, you’re making it hard to focus on my fighting!”

Mi Blade groaned, finally snapping back to reality, albeit a bit sluggishly. "I'm fine," he muttered,

“just... you know, it’s my first time killing someone. Feeling kinda... queasy. Like I just ate a whole bowl of expired ramen.”

Yu chuckled lightly, shaking her head as if she were dealing with a particularly dramatic soap opera character.

"Oh, great. The rookie's getting all sentimental on the battlefield. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it... or at least, I hope you do. Just remember: there’s no crying in ninja fights!”

With a sigh, Mi Blade continued processing everything as the battle raged around them, trying to convince himself that every ninja has to start somewhere, even if it meant feeling a bit queasy while dodging explosions.

Mi Blade stood up, dusting himself off with a flourish, and glanced at the ongoing battle. The four ninja were still locked in combat, looking like they were auditioning for a very serious martial arts movie, while the air was thick with tension—and probably a hint of bad takeout.

Uchiha Yu, her Sharingan gleaming with the single tomoe of the Shan Gouyu, barked orders like a drill sergeant.

“You go help Kamikawaki! I’ll assist Saki with the Jonin. Let’s wrap this up quickly before my hair gets frizzy!”

"Got it!" Mi Blade shouted back, though he couldn’t help but gawk at Yu’s activated Sharingan, wondering if it came with a side of superpowers or just made her look cool.

“Go!” Yu snapped, her voice pulling him back to reality like a bucket of cold water.

Snapping out of his daze, Mi Blade grabbed his sword—he’d named it “Sparkle”—and sprinted toward the battlefield once again.

Kamikawaki, spotting Mi Blade, instantly felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him. He gritted his teeth and barked, “Don’t worry about me! Go help Saki with the Jonin!”

"Fine!"

Mi Blade shouted back, barely suppressing a chuckle. He could practically feel the pride radiating off Kamikawaki like an overcooked piece of bacon.

The guy was already annoyed about being outpaced by a five-year-old, and in front of girls, no less!

The last thing Kamikawaki needed was for Mi Blade to steal any more of his thunder. Besides, poking that bear might just get him a face full of ninja rage.

With a quick nod, Mi Blade darted toward Saki’s side, where the battle was more intense—like a game of dodgeball on steroids.

Standing just on the edge of the clash, Mi Blade hesitated for a split second. The fight between Saki and the enemy Jonin was fierce—like a fireworks show gone rogue, except the explosions were definitely the kind you didn’t want to Instagram.

He knew he couldn’t jump in recklessly without getting sliced into ninja sashimi. Thinking quickly, he pulled out several explosive tags from his pouch, fastening them to kunai like a kid making a really dangerous craft project.

“Let’s see how you like a little chaos,” Mi Blade muttered to himself with a smirk, hurling the kunai toward Yuren’s group.

One after another, the explosive-laden kunai flew through the air, whistling ominously—like a bad omen with an attitude.

Yuren, startled by the barrage, scrambled to dodge the blasts, his focus now split between the explosions and his battle with Saki and Uchiha Yu.

For a moment, Mi Blade could almost see the frustration on Yuren’s face, as if he were thinking, "Why is my to-do list suddenly a group project?"

It was clear—these ninjas from the Village Hidden in the Rain were no pushovers. They were tougher, more experienced, and fought with a raw determination that Mi Blade couldn't help but admire.

But there was no time for admiration, only action—like a ninja reality show, and he was the hapless contestant.

One thing was certain, though: Yuren’s multi-tasking skills were about to be put to the ultimate test—sort of like trying to juggle chainsaws while riding a unicycle. Good luck with that!

Mi Blade slid his long sword back into its sheath with a flourish, as if he were sheathing a magic wand instead of a weapon. Switching swiftly to his short blade, he crept closer to Yuren, ready for action.

With a series of fast, coordinated strikes, he and his teammates forced their opponents to retreat, overwhelming them like a surprise group project no one signed up for.

Saki noticed the enemy's confusion and saw her chance. With a quick hand sign that looked suspiciously like a dance move, she created a shadow clone, grabbing two explosive tags.

With all the grace of a deer on roller skates, she leapt toward Yuren, aiming to disrupt their formation.

"Step back!" Saki commanded, sounding like she was about to serve a volleyball instead of tossing explosives.

The group quickly retreated, scrambling like chickens at a barbecue as the explosive tags detonated.

Boom!

A controlled explosion sent a shockwave through the area, rattling nearby windows—and probably disturbing a few napping cats.

Uchiha Yu remained steady, barely phased as she observed the scene unfold, sipping her tea like she was watching a particularly dramatic episode of her favorite soap opera.

"Same drama, different day," she seemed to think, unfazed by the chaos.