A shadow clone darted out at the perfect moment, appearing amidst the crisscrossed sightlines of the pursuers and the fleeing group. Its movement abruptly halted, the chakra-formed body acting as a separated will, connecting the tainted with the pure.
Bang!
The green corridor door slammed shut.
Logan, clad in black, stood coolly and silently, gazing at the now-closed door. Through the heavy barrier, he seemed to glimpse the school-uniformed figures dashing away into the night.
Tap, tap, tap.
Rapid footsteps closed in, accompanied by coarse curses. The noisy commotion of the night had become a source of annoyance. Logan calmly extended a hand, touching the cold surface of the stainless steel door. Tilting his head, he pulled up his hoodie to hide his face in the shadows, then vanished.
The gangsters paid no attention to why a kid had mistakenly remained inside the sealed area. Their minds were consumed by the adrenaline-fueled scene of gang warfare, leaving no room for other thoughts. And soon, they wouldn't have the chance to think at all.
A black shadow flashed through the dimly lit green corridor at an unimaginable speed, making everyone feel as though their vision blurred. Objects rushed past, yet no one knew what had happened.
Logan unleashed his power with a swift, decisive grace. In an instant, he appeared outside the corridor, holding an electronic device sparking with wires in his hand.
After loosening up his long-restrained limbs, he casually discarded the broken surveillance device. Behind him, the muffled sounds of more than ten bodies collapsing echoed belatedly.
He returned to the casino hall, where chaos and crowds boiled over like a roiling cauldron. Frowning, Logan pushed aside a chair, stepping into the melee of flying fists and flailing legs.
The brawl between two gangs had left the venue in ruins. While this destruction conveniently made his mission easier, Logan was determined to ensure the Bear Head Gang's survival. After all, he had been paid for this.
Making his way through debris and wreckage, Logan finally found the gilded envelope under a gambling table, covered in gray-black footprints.
Dusting it off, a sudden whooshing sound of a blade slicing through the air caught his ear. Logan didn't dodge. Instead, he reached out, accurately grabbing the attacker's wrist.
Stepping in close, he twisted the wrist until the bones cracked audibly. Ignoring the familiar screams, he murmured with mild curiosity, "You guys are still using blades?"
Taking the blade, Logan struck the attacker's temple with the back of the blade before kicking him away like a discarded sack.
"I'm borrowing this."
He doesn't know if these guys are members of the Bear Head Gang or the Four Seals Gang. He hit two people in succession, which crashed into gambling tables before crumpling to the ground.
Logan casually inspected the blade, its glint causing nearby gangsters, who had witnessed the scene, to step back in fear.
Seeing that it was just an ordinary, mass-produced weapon, Logan didn't think too much of it. He couldn't help but think of Shimizu, the sword hidden in his bedroom at home.
The memories of another world surfaced reflexively, but the cacophony of the present soon dissolved the sensation.
Logan's shadow clone snapped back to focus, aware that the chaotic casino demanded his attention.
Logan felt no inclination to methodically take down Bear Head Gang's members. He might have enjoyed such a task under different circumstances, but watching the school-uniformed figures vanish joyfully into the night drained his interest.
Besides, as long as he delivered the critical blow to the Bear Head Gang, his job would be considered done.
After finding the right spot, Logan leapt onto a high wall, his movements unseen and unnoticed. The intricate murals and carvings flowed beneath his feet as he seamlessly made his way to the ceiling.
Luxurious crystal chandeliers hung nearby. Avoiding the surveillance cameras, Logan skillfully adhered Chakra to his feet, walking along the ceiling as if it were solid ground.
The casino's vast and open layout provided unimpeded pathways. Freed from obstruction, Logan's shadow clone felt an ease that bordered on liberation.
The quiet and detachment from the noise below created a stark contrast, as though traversing two distinct worlds.
This duality reminded Logan of the unforgettable memories tied to two separate worlds.
Looking down at his basic Ninja Skills, he felt a strange nostalgia. A rare smile flickered across his usually indifferent face.
With a slight tilt of his head, Logan observed the chaotic crowd below. Tossing the blade, he propelled himself off the ceiling, performing a mid-air flip.
As the height diminished, gravity and sound returned, pulling him back into the fray.
Finally, Logan landed on the ground once more.
Ding!
The blade, now embedded in the ground, quivered with a low hum. This was the epicenter of the brawl, where the fighting raged most intensely.
Yet, the sudden arrival of this 'justice-from-above' moment cast an almost cinematic silence over the scene.
The dirty gilded envelope was thrown onto a stunned face covered with blood…
"To the esteemed boss." Logan began, now donning a fox mask that had appeared out of nowhere, "The Blue Gang sends their regards to your whole family."
…
Meanwhile, in the distant Konoha, far from Logan's rare use of basic Ninja Skills in the modern world, the warm, peaceful sunlight bathed the streets beneath the Hokage Rock. A young girl was earnestly practicing the same basic ninja skills.
Carrying a small, practical backpack, the girl walked nimbly along the narrow tops of white walls lining the street.
The walls were modest in height, just over a meter, marking the boundaries of a row of standalone homes. These dividing walls were clearly the fences of private residences.
The girl moved boldly along the wall, balancing her steps on the slim space where only one foot could fit. Her expression was focused, and each step she took held a curious air of seriousness.
However, walking along someone's fence was hardly a welcomed activity. As the sound of loose stones clattered down, it roused the attention of a robust woman in her forties, who poked her head out of a nearby window.
But when the woman spotted the girl's lithe figure atop the wall, the initial annoyance on her face melted like frost under sunlight, replaced by a warm, kind smile, "Oh, it's you, Mai. Practicing Chakra Control on walls again?"
The girl had just extended one foot into empty space when the voice caused her to pause. She stopped mid-step and turned toward the woman with a radiant smile that could charm anyone.
"That's right, Aunt Yoko." Thinking of something, Mai stuck out her tongue apologetically as she added, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't step on other people's walls..."
Even registered Ninja was expected to avoid actions that might disturb the peace of ordinary people. However, the ordinary housewife called Yoko quickly waved her hand, "Oh, not at all, Mai. You're not like the other kids causing trouble all the time. You're such a sweetheart, there's no problem at all."
"Thank you, Aunt Yoko!" Mai replied with a playful bow, standing daintily on the wall. Her antics only deepened Yoko's affectionate smile, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes crinkling with delight.
"But you need to pay attention to safety, Mai. You should still walk well when you go home." Yoko said with a maternal tone as she stepped out of her house, full of concern as if speaking to her own daughter, "You fell just a few days ago..."
Mai was a little embarrassed, but immediately raised her face and said with a hint of pride: "That won't happen anymore, Aunt Yoko. I've learned how to use Chakra to walk on walls."
To prove her point, Mai extended her foot once more. This time, she pressed it firmly against the vertical surface of the wall, pausing for a deep breath.
Then, her other foot lifted off the horizontal surface, shifting her balance completely to the wall.
Despite the sudden shift in gravity, Mai didn't fall. Her body rotated ninety degrees, and she stood confidently against the vertical wall.
Yoko was stunned. This was indeed a skill that only a Ninja could possess. She looked at the girl's still childish face and couldn't help but think of her extremely naughty son.
'He had been attending the Ninja Academy for several years, yet he'd accomplished little beyond getting better at raiding bird nests.'
'It would be nice if Yu and Mai could swap places...' Yoko thought wistfully, while showering Mai with praises. It was a thought that would surely wound her own son's pride if he overheard it.
As for Mai, who is once a girl from the remote corners of the Land of the Moon, she now stood gleefully on the white walls of Konoha Village.
Together with the golden sunlight streaming down, she formed a picture-perfect geometric harmony.