My Techniques are a bit off

Inn, Second Floor, Hallway

The Land of Fire merchant walked toward his room, a scowl on his face. His attendants and samurai led the way and surrounded him from behind, keeping him and Nara Ensui protected in the center.

In the chaotic Land of Rivers, it wouldn't be surprising if someone tried to assassinate a wealthy merchant.

"Boss, I guess we've officially completed a B-rank mission!" Iris seemed much more relaxed now that the auction had ended. He followed alongside Link with a cheerful smile.

Ami also couldn't help but smile. A B-rank mission! It had been just over six months since she graduated, and now she had participated in and completed a B-rank mission.

Her first major goal in life—to gain experience, become a Chūnin next year, and transition to being a medical-nin—was now solidly underway.

She felt as though she had taken a crucial first step.

"Stay vigilant," Link said sternly, pouring cold water on their enthusiasm. His expression was serious, with no hint of joking.

Why stay on guard? Even Ensui-sensei said the fighting was over... Iris wondered, but before he could finish the thought, his body was yanked backward. He watched in shock as fire burst forth from the hallway ahead, and a powerful explosion tore through the walls.

"Boom!"

The deafening noise left his ears ringing. Smoke filled the air, and broken, mangled corpses tumbled to the floor beside him.

"Explosive tags…"

Link released his grip on his two teammates and quickly formed seals, releasing—

Shadow Clone Technique + Transformation Technique.

Recovering from the shock, Iris scrambled to his feet, drew a kunai, and entered a combat stance, his face tense with nerves.

Ami stood back-to-back with Link, staring down the hallway where several Amegakure shinobi were approaching. "Boss, we're surrounded. They're from Amegakure."

"So, Konoha brats, your luck has run out."

The scarred man who had taunted Link on the rainy night stepped out of the smoke. His tone was full of disdain.

[Ensui-sensei should be fine. I saw him flicker the Land of Fire merchant out of danger. He's likely being held up elsewhere. Facing strong enemies while protecting a civilian is always tricky...]

Link quickly analyzed the situation, tightening his grip on his kunai. "Finish this quickly. Then we'll assist Ensui-sensei."

They not only needed to survive but also had to complete their mission.

"Tch, brat, don't—" The scarred man's words were cut short as he heard a noise below him. His expression darkened, and he narrowly twisted his body with chakra to dodge. Only then did he see a pitch-black figure rise from the floor, its hand reaching toward a rather… sensitive area.

Too underhanded!

"Shing!" Several shuriken flew through the air toward him.

On the other side, Ami, who had been specially trained, unleashed a large fireball, forcing the Amegakure shinobi in the rear to retreat. She and Iris then charged forward, engaging the attackers in close combat.

"Whoosh!"

Link followed closely behind his shuriken, kunai in hand, aiming directly for the scarred man.

The man raised his forearm, deflecting the shuriken with his armguard before pulling out a kunai for close-quarters combat.

"Clang!"

As their kunai clashed, the scarred man felt confident. The Konoha brat might be arrogant, but his strength barely exceeded that of an average Genin. He was no match.

Suddenly, Link's free arm transformed mid-motion into a long blade that pierced the man's neck.

"Splash!"

But instead of blood, the body dissolved into a puddle of water.

[A water clone.]

Link realized, just as a powerful kick struck his back, sending him flying into the rubble. Dust billowed around him as he hit the ground.

The scarred man stood confidently, smirking as he glanced at the shadow on the ground. "Surrender, brat."

[Surrender…?]

Link had been expecting continuous attacks and was prepared to use shadow clones to mislead the enemy before counterattacking. His shadow was already positioned on the ground, but instead, he was met with this strange proposal.

Would the Akatsuki even accept surrenders? He hesitated briefly, but his body moved instinctively.

Turning to face his enemy, Link adopted a combat stance. The scarred man sneered.

The technique that transformed his arm into a blade might have been unusual, but their earlier clash proved that the brat was just a slightly stronger-than-average Genin. As long as he avoided strange tricks, victory was assured.

However, what happened next stunned him—

The shadow stood up, and Link casually detached his legs, throwing them to the shadow. The shadow grabbed the legs, transforming them into two gleaming longswords and positioning itself in the hallway.

Meanwhile, the real Link sat calmly in the rubble, forming hand seals.

[What am I looking at…?]

The scarred man's face twisted into a mix of disbelief and discomfort. No matter how hardened a shinobi was, such a bizarre scene could still shake their nerves.

Despite his unease, he acted decisively. He knew enough about Link's techniques to understand that letting him complete his jutsu would lead to trouble. He launched an attack.

[The first stand—]

Before the scarred man could close the distance, Link completed his summoning.

"Lulululu~"

Countless small, silver-white creatures emerged from Link's body, their writhing forms emitting eerie, unintelligible noises. The creatures resembled beans, with small holes suggesting eyes, mouths, and noses. Their mouths revealed rows of tiny, jagged teeth as they emitted their strange calls.

[Stand: Metallica.]

[Lucky!]

Link had expected to summon a weaker stand and spend time clearing out the lesser enemies before joining the main fight. Instead, he hit the jackpot on his first try.

"Clang!"

The shadow's twin swords created an impenetrable wall, deflecting a barrage of shuriken and kunai aimed to disrupt Link's focus. Just as the scarred man prepared to engage, the shadow suddenly dissolved, returning to the ground.

"Giving up already?"

The scarred man smirked, his voice dripping with mockery as Link stepped forward.

But as he drew closer, the scarred man's confidence shattered.

At such a short range, Link's Stand Metallica manipulated the iron in the man's body, forming countless blades that tore through his throat, chest, and abdomen from the inside out.

The blades clattered to the floor as the man collapsed, his flesh and organs falling in chunks.

His vision darkened. [How could this…?]