Chapter 71

Under the moonlight that illuminated the mountains and forests.

Edgar had obtained the "Gem of Light" as per Alex's request.

Afterward, he fled through the forest, leaping from branch to branch.

He couldn't run on the ground as it would leave tracks for pursuit.

However, his movement from tree to tree was so swift it was almost invisible to the eye.

He glanced at the moon to gauge the time.

"This should allow me to catch the dawn boat from Cove Harbor—uh!?"

Edgar twisted his body mid-air.

A hoarse voice echoed.

"Fire Escape: Red Dragon King's Technique!"

Suddenly, the large tree he was about to leap to was enveloped in a blazing inferno, with a long, massive dragon coiling around it.

The tree burned like a torch, scorching the night sky.

The surroundings were bathed in red, and the heat was intense.

"One of the legendary three, Red Shadow, appears...," Edgar muttered as he landed on the ground, but the mist from the Water Escape technique that had clung to him evaporated, revealing his form.

Then, an old man in red ninja attire appeared before Edgar.

"There you are... Azuma, is it?"

"...Master... You haven't retired yet?"

"Of course not... It's a shame to lose such a talented disciple."

"Probably because I was as misbehaved as you, Master."

"What did you say!?"

Red Shadow glared and roared.

In that instant, Edgar, who already had a kunai in hand, pressed a finger to the side of his mouth and shouted.

"Fire Escape: Crimson Lotus Blaze Technique!"

"Good! —Fire Escape: Crimson Lotus Blaze Technique!"

A dragon of flames spiraled out of Edgar's mouth.

Red Shadow also released a dragon of flames, albeit a beat later.

The kunai evaporated instantly, and the flames collided.

However, Edgar's flames, fueled by the burning kunai, overpowered Red Shadow's.

Shattering Red Shadow's flames, Edgar's flames pressed forward.

"Double—Crimson Lotus Blaze Technique!"

But Red Shadow unleashed a second wave of flames.

Shattering Edgar's weakened flames, it attacked Edgar.

"You're good... as expected, Master."

"Hmph, you shouldn't push an old man too far."

"But I was waiting for you—Water Escape: Cloud Concealment Technique!"

"What!?"

Edgar was enveloped in a water membrane.

Red Shadow's flame dragon collided with it, and a burst of white steam rose, obscuring Edgar's form.

Red Shadow, despite his frustration, smiled wryly.

"You used my technique against me... as expected of a user of the Four Symbols Ninjutsu. What a waste of talent."

When the cloud cleared, Edgar was gone.

Red Shadow looked in the direction he had fled.

"What a waste... If only you weren't so merciful. You should have finished off your opponent when you had the chance... Azuma."

With a smile tinged with sorrow, Red Shadow vanished with a whoosh.

◇ ◇ ◇

Edgar was fleeing through the forest.

Activating his techniques and thief skills, he ran at top speed.

He had recognized that Red Shadow's flashy technique was not an attack.

It was to signal his location to the pursuers.

—The burning tree would serve as a beacon for the other pursuers to arrive.

"If it weren't for the legendary three—no, one of them, I might have a chance—"

Edgar leaped from branch to branch, swinging his kunai.

A shadow approached from the side.

Kiiin!

A dry metallic sound echoed through the forest.

The shadows crossed in mid-air and landed on the ground.

A man in white ninja attire, slender and short like a child, stood there.

Edgar, landing on the ground, shook his messy hair and smiled crookedly.

"One of the legendary three, White Shadow, appears... I must be quite popular."

"Shut up—Light Escape: White Light Slash."

With a young, boyish voice, White Shadow readied his concealed blade, and his form disappeared.

A flash of light glimmered.

Zan!

White Shadow landed behind Edgar.

"When you see the light, you're already cut. That's the Light Escape."

"...Amazing speed... even a Body Replacement Technique wouldn't have been fast enough."

Edgar, clutching his sliced abdomen, staggered and leaped toward a large branch.

White Shadow, in mid-air, readied his blade.

"It's over—Light Escape: White Light Slash."

White Shadow's form disappeared from the ground.

Edgar, with a bottle in his mouth, turned around and thrust his kunai.

Za, Zazan!

White Shadow landed on the branch but immediately knelt, a cut appearing on his white attire, blood flowing.

"Damn! You attacked with the intention of a mutual kill!?"

"In mid-air, you can't change your trajectory."

Edgar landed on another branch and said.

He immediately tilted the bottle and drank the remaining contents.

It was a desperate attack using a potion.

However, White Shadow chuckled.

"My job is done. You're finished, Azuma."

"What do you mean? —Wind Escape: Leaf Concealment Technique!"

Edgar, sensing something, cast the technique with a tense face, disappearing and fleeing. His speed was remarkable.

However, almost simultaneously, a youthful voice echoed.

"Water Escape: Water Dragon Water Burst!"

Dogo—

A blue water dragon, consuming trees over a range of dozens of meters, surged toward Edgar like a mudslide.

"Ugh!"

The vast area made it impossible for Edgar to escape.

He was caught in the intense water flow, along with the branch he was standing on.

—He's done!

The large technique required time to activate, so White Shadow's role was to delay him!

The water technique that could clear such a vast area of the forest—Blue Shadow must have been here too. I'm really popular, it seems.

Caught in the torrent, disoriented, Edgar smiled wryly, pressing his pocket.

—This is as far as I can go. I wanted to bring it back myself...

Edgar took out a foldable box, assembled it, and placed the glowing gem from his pocket inside.

Sealing the box with magic, it glowed.

At that moment, a shattered log hit Edgar, shattering the box.

But the glowing gem was already gone.

Tossed and turned by the swirling water, Edgar smiled.

—I've fulfilled the promise, Alex.

More rocks and logs collided with Edgar, and he lost consciousness.

After the water receded, the forest was filled with men in red, white, and blue ninja attire surrounding the soaked and unconscious Edgar.

"He's still alive... What's going on? Is he invincible?"

"No, he's taking damage. It seems to heal as soon as he's hit."

"Probably due to the potion he took when I fought him?"

"Indeed. He must have continued training in techniques and tools even after leaving the country. As expected, Azuma."

Red Shadow nodded in admiration.

White Shadow, muttering "What kind of person praises a thief?" in exasperation, squatted down and searched Edgar's belongings.

His voice tensed.

"It's not here, not here! —Did he hide it somewhere while fleeing?"

"No, he had it in his pocket when we fought."

"It was there when the Water Dragon technique was used, too?"

Blue Shadow tilted his head.

White Shadow looked around the forest.

The ground was gouged, and trees were toppled and half-destroyed.

"So, it must have fallen somewhere in the forest, right?"

"No, it's not in the forest."

Red Shadow had already cast a technique with hand signs.

Blue Shadow shrugged.

"In that case, we have no choice but to ask him directly. Mikoto-sama is good at that kind of thing."

"There's no other way. Let's go back."

"Tch, I did a half-assed job."

White Shadow, with a bitter expression, frowned deeply.

Blue Shadow smiled.

"That just shows how talented Azuma was."

"What a waste..."

Red Shadow looked down at the unconscious Edgar and sighed.

Then, the three bound Edgar, sealed his ability to use techniques, and carried him away, vanishing.

Thank you for the bookmarks and ★ ratings!

Thanks to you, I've surpassed 80,000 rating points!

I'll do my best to update daily!

The next chapter will be posted tomorrow

→ 72. A Fun Breakfast and a Close Call!