Survived? Nope, Ninjas Get Annihilated, So Start Killing Each Other From Tomorrow.
"Hoo... so you've awakened your aura."
The one murmuring that was Kasumi of the Morning Mist, the ninja overseeing this trial.
Aura. The beastkin living in the Northern Mountains usually called it aura, but in the tongue of the tail-less folk down south, it was known as aura... Something like mental energy manifesting outside the body, shaped like smoke. The clear mark that separated true powerhouses from the mediocre.
Those who awakened aura could wrap it around their bodies to strengthen themselves or infuse it into weapons to boost their hardness and cutting power. Of course, channeling aura into weapons was a far more advanced realm. It was hard to imagine someone freshly awakened to aura managing to do that to their blade.
"A genius, perhaps..."
No. 594, the girl who'd just awakened her aura and sliced off the arm of that Annihilator Type-E—she was the one Kasumi had her eye on. Exceptional talent for ninjutsu, outstanding combat sense. But Kasumi hadn't thought the girl would truly awaken her aura and survive this trial.
In Kasumi's view, No. 594 had a weak spirit. The type least suited to awakening aura.
What was aura, after all? A mental energy seized by the will to fight, manifested and shaped externally. That's why it usually awakened in hot-headed warriors when their lives hung by a thread.
"I figured it'd be No. 193 or 429 if anyone..."
Of course, blind courage alone didn't guarantee awakening. You needed the sense to internalize it. And those with that sense were rare. This boring trial ran twice a year, and over the past five years of repetition, they'd finally found just one.
Anyway, No. 594 drawing out her own aura and felling the Annihilator Type-E was the correct answer to this ordeal. Mastery of the Five Elements Escapes using the Five Elements Orbs, summoning jutsu, clone jutsu, and other ninjutsu... plus wielding aura. Those were the bare minimum to be called a ninja.
A passer had emerged from this trial, so per the rule that only one could pass per exam, she should declare it over, dispose of everyone but No. 594... but.
Kasumi found the current scene deeply unpleasant.
She'd awakened aura—fine, that meant passing. But was the way she'd awakened it fitting for a ninja? No, absolutely not. Awakening aura to protect others? That disqualified her as a ninja.
What was a ninja, in Kasumi's mind? A ninja was annihilation. Whether dozens, hundreds, or thousands... an emotionless specialist who swept them all away without a flicker of hesitation. A reaper calling down blood rain—that was a ninja.
You had to become a blade that killed without guilt. That was a ninja.
The tail-less southerners, especially those calling themselves knights, might applaud No. 594 as perfect. They were an incomprehensible breed who saw protecting each other—shielding the weak—as noble virtue.
But this was the harsh northern land, beastkin territory ruled by the law of the jungle. Become a shield for the weak? Absurd. The weak should grovel on the dirt, submit to the strong's dominion! Offer everything to the powerhouses lording over them—that was the weak's purpose.
Anyone soft enough to chafe at such lowly scum had no right to be a ninja. Other ninjas might differ, but Kasumi thought that way, and she had no intention of letting it slide.
So... let's add a little extra test.
Perfect timing—Nos. 429, 187, and 727, who were close to that girl, had survived. This could be useful.
"A true ninja must become a shura who can cut down even their precious ones."
With that, the woman in the fox mask quietly intoned, sketching out the additional trial in her mind. To forge a true ninja by her standards...
Sliced it clean off, that damn tin can bastard.
Hmm, once I steeled myself, absolutely determined to cut it no matter what... I felt this surging power welling up in my chest? Like, this is it, so I channeled that energy to my blade and slashed the robot—and it actually worked.
The blade didn't shatter. The robot's arm got lopped off.
Hmm... this the inner energy from wuxia novels? Aura from fantasy? Something like that?
But didn't you need some cultivation method or whatever to use that stuff? Who knows—this world's common sense is beyond me anyway. Stuck in this controlled exam zone, no outside info.
The examiner lady only taught us basic ninjutsu and some ninja karate fighting style. No hand-holding explanations.
Point is, I cut off that robot's arm.
Clank, clank.
No more dying myself or letting others die... I'd gained a way to fight that demonic scrap heap.
"H-Hey, no idea how you did it, but don't let your guard down! It's still alive!"
Hibana's voice from afar. Wanted to retort—machines ain't "alive"—but I got her point. Not shut down yet, right?
Fine by me. No fear left anymore...!
That surging chest energy flowed through my body... and my muscles felt stronger.
Let's test it.
Whoosh! I kicked off the ground and launched forward.
Amazing! Way faster than normal—several times over.
This fox beastkin body, even at this young age, already packed more power than my past life's adult male self. But this speed and strength were on another level. Like shedding a layer of that "living being" shell?
"Dieeee, you tin can bastard!!!!!!!!!!!"
Screaming that, I rocketed like a cannon shell at high speed... and with one slash, made that NINJA-37564-E or whatever's head say goodbye to its body.
Crunch, thud!
Head blown off, the torso froze and collapsed.
Phew, relief... if ripping the head off just took out the main camera like some hentai robot, I'd have had to dismantle it piece by piece. Would've gladly done it—no fear left anyway.
...
Looking around: bloodbath, as expected. Even escaping death, the sight soured my mood fast.
If I'd hardened my resolve sooner, awakened this power quicker... could fewer have died?
If only...
Squeeze! Someone hugged me from the side. Nazuna.
"A-Amazing!! Kokuyo, you did it! You beat it—the final trial!"
"Wasn't just me... everyone helped."
"N-Never thought we'd survive... s-so glad... waaahhh."
Nazuna burst into tears in my arms.
Sigh, such a scaredy-cat... my incompetence pushed her too hard. Sorry... sorry.
Suddenly, my vision blurred. Pathetic... got a 20-something guy's soul inside, why the tears? Guess this 10-ish girl's body triggers physiological reactions.
Don't cry, Nazuna... stop, you're making me tear up too.
"Waaahhh."
"Uwaaaahhh."
"Dang... you idiots bawlin' like that, how ya gonna use Water Escape later?!"
"Shizukuuu... y-you're alive too."
"Why ya treatin' me like I'm dead?! Ugh."
"C-Come here... group hug and cry, waaahhh."
"No, I ain't cryin'! Get off me, shoo!"
Fat chance—if you're crying, you cry with us. No escaping.
Hugging it out like that, Hibana and the others from a bit away rushed over.
Survivors total... one, two, three... nine. Ten including me.
Ten left... just ten. Nearly 100 before the final trial.
Only a tenth survived...
"But dang, how'd ya do that? Wouldn't budge when I hit it..."
"Dunno. Suddenly felt this wriggling power in my chest, wrapped it around my body and blade tip—and it worked."
"Dang... explain proper-like, didn't get a lick! That's yer problem, like explainin' Water Escape too. Talkin' 'bout water droplets in the air or some weird crap..."
That's not my fault, but anyway...
This power I awakened? Hard to put into words. The kind that's tough to verbalize or theorize—something you grasp by risking life against blades.
Ninja training was all like that anyway. Tossed into fire pits for Fire Orb, buried for Earth. Zero kindness.
Sensory stuff that comes first. How to explain that?
These kids had battle experience—given time, they'd master it too.
Yeah... if there was time.
Clap clap clap clap.
Turning, the white fox-masked woman in traditional Japanese garb applauded us. The examiner.
"Awakening aura—impressive."
"Aura?"
"The power you just used. Essential for ninjas, the final hurdle."
"......"
"Normally, trial ends here. One who's met basic ninja requirements appears... we spare them, dispose of the rest."
What? Dispose...?
That bitch spouting nonsense from her gaping mouth.
Whoosh! I unleashed the power she called aura again.
I'm strong enough now—no need to heed her crap. Kill these kids? Like hell. No more deaths—not one.
Basic ninja stuff acquired—worth a fight...
"Tch, foolish... a mere pup at the starting line defying Kasumi of the Morning Mist?"
Boom! She stomped, immense pressure surged, and my body... felt crushed under a boulder, heaviness crashing in.
Huh?! What the—... Heavenly Demon's Dominion? Or Ninja version?!
...
Hah, no chance at all. But couldn't help it—rage boiled seeing her threaten these kids.
Stake my life to save them... these ten survivors, no matter what!
"Hear people out to the end. Story ain't over, No. 594."
"Guhh..."
"Not saying I'll kill these nine right now, sparing you. Ten survived—might as well give everyone a shot. Though only one lives."
"......No way in hell. All ten walk out—here and now...!"
"Pfft, impossible. Even if you miraculously slip my grasp, village borders crawl with puppets stronger than that one you felled. Annihilator Type-E? Obsolete junk, not even used for defense anymore."
"......!"
That was obsolete? Wiped out all but ten of 100.
Stronger ones littering the borders? Lie, lie! Lie...!!
"So, how far can you fight lugging those nine burdens? How far can you protect? Watching that might be fun."
"Final advice: give up. Max one survives, min nine die. That's your fate."
"Tomorrow, one-on-one deathmatches continue till one qualified winner becomes ninja. Who knows—maybe another of your nine awakens aura mid-fight. Looking forward to it... puhehe, kahahaha!"
With that, the examiner vanished in mad laughter, like early morning mist.
Joy of survival? Just ashes of despair scattered behind.
Among the ten ordeal survivors, only silence remained.