Chapter Twelve: The First Kill

Splurt...

A blood-soaked blade pierced through the Iwagakure ninja's abdomen, stopping just a centimeter from Hakuki's face.

"What... Who!" Feeling the searing pain tearing through his body, the Iwa ninja instantly broke free from his trance, tensed his abs to delay the blade's withdrawal, and formed hand seals, preparing to unleash Earth Pillar Spear to impale the attacker behind him.

Ninjas from Iwagakure were generally stocky and robust. Unlike Konoha, known for agility and sneak attacks, their earth-toned vests were heavy with metal inserts, offering formidable protection to the chest, back, and vital spots around the neck—hard to pierce through with one stab. This assailant was clearly not strong enough to go through the heart, so he chose the abdomen.

Earth Pillar Spear—three seals, the time of a single breath. The attacker behind him had to either wait to be skewered or abandon the blade and flee.

Yet... he had no idea that the rookie ninja delivering meals in front of him, who just a second ago looked deathly pale and terrified enough to wet himself, had in the next instant transformed into a blood-soaked butcher wielding a slaughterer's blade.

Hakuki's crimson blade hacked down on the Iwa ninja's neck with the same ferocity as chopping a pig's head for the New Year, blood spurting from the severed carotid artery, drenching Hakuki's face.

"Hello... Actually, I'm a doctor. I think you have an illness... I need to chop your head off for a thorough examination..."

It was as if Hakuki had truly become Dr. Mundo, his face twisted, hacking down again and again with savage force, flesh and blood flying, his clothes sodden with gore.

The Iwa ninja was already dead, his face a mangled ruin without a patch of sound flesh. Perhaps it was the passive of the Madman from Zaun at work—adrenaline surging, Hakuki was utterly lost in the moment, his face a mask of frenzied cruelty and excitement, still hacking away with mad abandon...

"Stop... he's already dead..." came a weak voice, finally breaking the spell.

A figure slowly emerged from invisibility—it was the one who had ambushed the Iwa ninja moments ago.

At last, Hakuki stopped...

...

...

...

Bloodied hands...

Torn features...

Shattered brain matter...

Impossible...

There's no way I did this...

I have sound morals, I'm a model youth, positive and upright...

I couldn't have done something like this...

Ugh!!!

I can still vomit, I'm still a normal person...

I'm not a psychopath...

Hahahahaha...

Vomiting and laughing hysterically at the same time...

Like a madman.

In Hayate Gekkou's eyes, Hakuki's reaction was both pitiable and perfectly normal.

Many first-time shinobi, having grown up in Konoha's peaceful environment, would spiral into a kind of mania after their first kill. His own first time, while not so deranged, still left him plagued by nightmares for months.

This is called post-traumatic stress disorder, isn't it?

It was said that when Lady Tsunade managed Konoha Hospital, she even set up a special therapy class just to comfort people like this.

Such is the life of a ninja—killing becomes routine, and eventually, you get used to it.

After a while, Hakuki finally calmed down. After all, his mental age was already just past adulthood; he wouldn't truly break.

"System... what just happened?" Hakuki asked inwardly.

"Dr. Mundo's passive, adrenaline! Even though you haven't drawn this skill yet, adrenaline is something humans naturally have. Once you secreted it, triggering some of Dr. Mundo's personality traits is quite normal," the system soothed softly.

"So... I'm not a crazed murderer, right..." Hakuki breathed a sigh of relief.

"Pervert, yes; murderer, not quite," the system teased.

"Get lost!" Hakuki chuckled. He had no intention of letting a game turn him into an actual lunatic.

It's fun being a monster, but one day Ultraman will come, and you'll have no time to cry.

For now, let’s call this state 'in character'.

Among actors in his past life, there was a saying: the greatest of veterans, after reading the script, could immerse themselves so completely in the role—whether a righteous officer or a deranged killer—they became someone else entirely; but once the costume was off, they were themselves again.

That is the pinnacle of acting: 'in character'.

"There are several important messages. Take a look," the system reminded him.

"Killed one Iwa Chunin!"

"Gained 50 coins, 50 experience points."

"Achievement complete: First Blood!"

"Gained 300 coins."

"Mundo thinks you did great!!"

"You've earned Dr. Mundo's praise. Please keep it up."

"Dr. Mundo's praise??? What does that mean?" Hakuki asked, puzzled.

"It means Mundo thinks you performed admirably, really enjoyed the way you hacked people. Please Mundo even more, and he'll gift you a Mundo skill for free!" the system replied, mimicking Mundo's dopey voice.

"I feel like... I'm heading further and further down the path of a maniac..." Hakuki exited the system in tears.

...

"Are you alright?" In front of him crouched a pale, sickly-looking boy with deep, dark circles, propped on a long sword, sweat beading on his forehead.

"You are..." Hakuki found the face familiar.

And that invisibility jutsu just now...

If nothing else, judging by this kidney-deficient look, wasn't this Gekkou Hayate, the one who died in the opening of Shippuden?

"Hayate Gekkou," he confirmed.

"I'm a genin member of this patrol squad, cough cough... We were suddenly ambushed by Elite Iwa Jonin Retdo, cough cough... Our jonin captain fell in battle, our distress flare was destroyed, and everyone scattered... cough cough..."

"I've been using Permeation Style to tail him, cough cough... looking for a chance to ambush, but my stamina's so poor... cough cough... I couldn't guarantee a one-hit kill..."

"Thanks to your genjutsu, I got my chance... cough cough cough..."

No wonder Hayate Gekkou was called the sickly ghost—just a few sentences and he nearly coughed up his lungs.

"Brother! With a cough like that, wear a mask, for god's sake!" Hakuki covered his mouth and nose, face full of disgust.

"Sorry... it's just weakness, not contagious, cough cough..." Hayate nearly doubled over with another fit.

"Kidney deficiency causes coughing too?"

"It's yin deficiency, not kidney deficiency!" Hayate blushed, indignant.

"Oh~ I see~" Hakuki nodded with meaning.

Honestly, if any man could turn invisible, he'd probably end up weak too.

"Brother... do me a favor..." Hayate had no more time for banter; his comrades were still being hunted.

"What is it?"

"I'm going to rescue them. Please, whatever happens, reach our camp and ask Lord Minato Namikaze for help... I'm begging you!" Hayate bowed deeply.

"Getting to camp... must take a while, right?" Hakuki guessed. If it were close, the Iwa ninja wouldn’t be so arrogant as to linger here. "You must be out of chakra too?"

"Yeah... but no matter what, I can't just run away... Yugao is still inside..." Hayate gritted his teeth.

"Yugao Uzuki? The girlfriend from the main story?" Hakuki smiled. Who would have thought these kids were so precocious—barely twelve or thirteen and already thinking of love.

"Hayate, my friend, I'll rescue your sweetheart for you. You'd better repay me well afterwards... Just two little requests... hehehe..."

A wicked grin slowly curled at Hakuki's lips.