Naruto: Just an Average Ninja

Just as the last enemy harbored his final regret before death, the outcome of this battle had essentially been sealed the moment Hanemiya Genma successfully ambushed the enemy captain. What remained was merely garbage time.

It wasn't that Hanemiya Genma brimmed with confidence or arrogance about his skills; rather, he possessed a clear sense of self-awareness. By fully leveraging White Zetsu's abilities and striking when the enemy least expected it, the odds of assassinating their strongest fighter were naturally high. In other words, as long as he avoided foolish blunders and the enemy failed to detect White Zetsu's powers, his assassination was almost guaranteed to succeed.

Though many relish the spectacle of flashy ninjutsu in combat, at its heart, a ninja's true pursuit is silent, unseen assassination. In this realm, the Mayfly Technique reigns supreme.

By the measure of results, Hanemiya Genma fulfilled his objective, eliminating five enemies as intended. Yet the process was rough—he was forced into direct confrontations and even sustained injuries. Ideally, he would have dispatched all five in a silent chain of assassinations, but alas, he fell short.

Perhaps it was a trick of the mind, but reflecting on his journey since transmigrating, Hanemiya Genma sensed that while ninja battles in this era were more savage, their average caliber likely paled compared to the later Ninja Village era—discounting a handful of extraordinarily powerful outliers. Be it the seamless blend of ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu, or the coordination and lethality of ninja squads, this age lagged behind the Ninja Village era.

Yet, upon deeper thought, this seemed logical. All things progress with time, and Hanemiya Genma subscribed to the belief that "the future outstrips the present." Organizational structures, ninjutsu systems, education, and warfare—all advanced ceaselessly as eras unfolded.

His mind was drifting too far afield, so Hanemiya Genma swiftly refocused. In the end, though the execution was flawed, the outcome was acceptable—satisfying, even. After all, he had only recently become the "White Zetsu Hero." With the origins of his bodily changes still a mystery and his new abilities unpolished, he had rushed into battle. To perform this well was already impressive.

With this fight concluded, Hanemiya Genma had no time to tidy the battlefield or take stock. He raced toward another battleground at top speed. Though he'd endured one skirmish already, his chakra reserves held strong. The prior clash hadn't demanded much ninjutsu, leaving him with ample energy for what lay ahead.

To ensure the survival of his two clansmen serving as bait, Hanemiya Genma employed the Mayfly Technique for rapid travel, minimizing his journey's duration. He'd already mapped out his next fight: more assassinations. Committed to efficiency, he'd see it through to the end.

When he'd slain the enemy captain earlier, their encounter was fleeting, yet he'd seized that instant to steal a sample of the captain's chakra. Though too scant for prolonged combat, it sufficed for the False Transformation Technique, enabling him to impersonate the captain with uncanny precision—nearly impossible to disprove.

White Zetsu's transformation ability was a divine mastery; no ninja in the world could rival its disguise prowess. With a target's chakra sample and no slip-ups in personality, habits, demeanor, or conduct, the deception was virtually impenetrable. Hanemiya Genma only needed to mimic the captain on the battlefield, not sustain the ruse long-term or navigate intricate situations, so the risk of being unmasked was low.

Elsewhere, on another battlefield, Kanzawa adhered to Hanemiya Genma's orders: flee, don't fight. This delayed the enemy significantly. As Hanemiya Genma neared, he didn't plunge in headlong. Instead, he perched atop a towering tree, observing the clash below.

Five enemy ninjas were encircling Kanzawa, who deftly evaded them, weaving left and right while deploying Fire Release ninjutsu to erect barriers, sowing chaos and concealment across the field.

Another game of cat and mouse? Hanemiya Genma thought.

Disguised as the captain, he used the Mayfly Technique to close in on the farthest enemy ninja. As Kanzawa unleashed another Fire Release, its roar masking his approach, Hanemiya Genma materialized behind the foe, slitting his throat and stabbing his back in one fluid strike. He eased the still-warm, lifeless body to the ground without a sound.

Wiser from experience, Hanemiya Genma's tactics had sharpened. This time, the enemies didn't immediately notice their lost comrade, too engrossed in pursuing Kanzawa. Fortune smiled on him again—the enemy's scout ninja wasn't among these five but with a third unit.

The remaining four stood too close together. After a moment's deliberation, Hanemiya Genma chose caution: he'd reveal himself as the "captain." Approaching, he made deliberate noise, and sure enough, they spotted him instantly.

"It's the captain."

"Captain, are you done over there?"

Recognizing him, the ninjas eased their vigilance. Hanemiya Genma nodded stiffly—a blank face served better than a misplaced expression. "That side's settled," he said. "I came to reinforce you as fast as I could; the others are trailing behind. What's happening here?"

"It's tricky," the squad leader replied, hastening to explain, wary of displeasing him. "The target just keeps fleeing, burning chakra but refusing to engage. It's slowed us down, but we're about to trap him."

The "captain" furrowed his brow, visibly irked by the dawdling. "Enough circling. Follow me."

He surged toward the "enemy," the four ninjas scrambling after him. They swiftly narrowed the gap to Kanzawa, but as they readied their attack, the "captain" stopped short.

Time was ticking—soon they'd notice their missing man. Abruptly, he turned his head, feigning shock. "Clan leader? Why are you here…?"

The four, like starry-eyed admirers of a masterful act, trusted him completely, turning as one to look where he stared. In that split second, as he spoke, his blade flashed cold and swift, slicing through three throats before they could blink. Only the last, farthest from him and lagging behind, escaped the ambush.

The lone survivor gaped, confusion flooding his small eyes. Why would the captain attack us? Is he an imposter?

"Two against one," Hanemiya Genma declared. "Now we surround you."

Under the ninja's stunned gaze, he shed his disguise, his chakra signature reverting to its true essence.