In a space shrouded in dense mist, a figure concealed beneath a black robe lurked in a shadowed corner. With a smug expression, he lifted his hood, revealing his true form.
The moment the suppression of the hood disappeared, two pointed triangular ears twitched irritably, as if venting their long-oppressed dissatisfaction. His amber, vertical-slit pupils gleamed faintly in the dim surroundings, and a pair of long, thin whiskers clung to the sides of his mouth.
Raising one of his clawed paws, he licked the soft pads before rubbing them against his cheeks, an instinctive grooming habit.
Yes—beneath the black robe was a massive orange cat.
But unlike an ordinary feline, Nyutaro was colossal, comparable in size to a human, resembling a small lion with his thick mane of fur. His every movement exuded the natural arrogance of a predator, an aura reminiscent of the Inuzuka Clan's ninken or the legendary summon animals of Ryuchi Cave and Mount Myoboku.
In fact, if one were to speculate, it wouldn't be far-fetched to assume that all the figures hidden beneath those black robes were feline creatures of similar size and intelligence.
"Hahahaha!!! Meow!"
The enormous cat, Nyutaro, burst into triumphant laughter, his voice echoing in the cavern.
"Foolish humans! You have finally fallen to the cunning claws of Lord Nyutaro!"
His expression was one of absolute satisfaction, as if he had just avenged some great insult. Despite the eerie, oppressive atmosphere of the underground mist, Nyutaro remained unbothered. Instead, he indulged in his memories—reveling in how this elaborate game had come to be.
A Game of Cats and Ninjas
Long ago, in a secluded part of the Land of Water, there existed a legendary feline clan, known for their agility, intelligence, and mastery of unique ninjutsu techniques. Their ancestors had once dwelled atop a nearby sacred mountain, but over time, many of them had migrated to a mysterious cave, transforming it into a sanctuary and proving ground for their kind.
Unlike the dark and grim training grounds of the Mist's infamous Bloody Graduation Exams, the cats had a different approach to trials. The cave became a vast labyrinth filled with intricate traps, pitfalls, and hidden passageways—more of an elaborate "adventure game" than a battlefield.
To the feline clan, this was nothing more than an elaborate playground, a place to hone their instincts and compete in games of survival. But fate had a way of turning even a game into something far more serious.
Through an unexpected alliance, Kirigakure's leadership had made contact with the feline clan, negotiating the use of the cave as a testing ground for the Mizukage Trial.
For Nyutaro, this was the perfect opportunity.
Playful by nature, he convinced several of his fellow cats to join in what he saw as an amusing prank on the human challengers. His plan was simple: lure the contestants into the cave, watch them fumble through the traps, and revel in their struggles from a hidden vantage point.
And when it was all over?
The kidnapped candidates would be returned—perhaps a little bruised, but alive—and Nyutaro would deliver cryptic hints about the Mizukage Trial, choosing how much information to reveal based purely on his own whims.
Of course, the level of suffering the participants endured would be part of the fun.
But who could have expected that Mizuki Ryosuke would be so… impossible to deceive?
The Collapse of Nyutaro's Plans
Plan A: Failure.
Plan B: Failure.
Plan C: Failure.
D, E, F, G—fail, fail, fail, fail.
No matter how much Nyutaro and his fellow cats tried, Mizuki Ryosuke refused to play by their rules. His meticulous caution rendered many of their traps ineffective, while his combat instincts allowed him to react to danger before it fully unfolded.
Instead of panicking and blundering into their designs, Ryosuke dismantled every trick with an unsettling precision.
The usual game experience was completely gone.
Nyutaro was furious. How could this be happening?!
And so, in his growing desperation, he made a reckless decision—
He would activate the one trap that even the cat clan themselves had never fully mastered.
The Ultimate Plan—Plan Z.
A trap so perfect, so absolute, that no living being had ever escaped unscathed.
But to lure his target inside, Nyutaro had to serve as bait, leading Mizuki Ryosuke and his team deeper into the cavern, toward the true depths of the trial.
As he recalled the moment he first encountered Ryosuke, a shudder ran through his fur.
The feline clan had a natural gift—an ability to "smell" the power and danger of an opponent, much like how the Inuzuka Clan could perceive chakra through scent.
And from Mizuki Ryosuke…
He had sensed an aura of pure destruction.
For the first time in his life, Nyutaro had felt the primal instinct to flee.
So he did. He ran as fast as his six powerful limbs could carry him, leading Ryosuke and his companions toward the final destination—the place where Plan Z would unfold.
The Forbidden Zone: The Misty Area
At this moment, Nyutaro sat cross-legged within the Misty Area, finally able to breathe.
Yes, his plan had succeeded. Mizuki Ryosuke was trapped beyond the stone gates.
But there was just one problem…
Nyutaro was trapped too.
That's right—once inside the Misty Area, there was no escape without an external force.
The cat clan had spent generations studying this phenomenon, piecing together fragments of knowledge about the mysterious space beyond the stone gates.
By Nyutaro's calculations, the Misty Area should currently be in a safe period, meaning there was no immediate danger.
And more importantly—Mizuki Ryosuke, that terrifying human demon, was finally at his mercy!
Nyutaro smirked to himself. Heh. Finally! Victory belongs to Lord Nyutaro!
Before he could celebrate further, he absently lifted a paw in front of his face.
…And blinked.
He couldn't see it.
Even though his claws were right before his eyes, they were completely obscured by the fog.
A creeping unease crawled up Nyutaro's spine.
"Strange… why does it feel so thick?"
He muttered under his breath, ears twitching with uncertainty.
Then, as if struck by realization, his entire body stiffened.
"No way… it couldn't be…!"
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Misty Area—
Mizuki Ryosuke's Plunge into the Unknown
The moment Mizuki Ryosuke was pulled beyond the stone gate, a bizarre sensation overtook him.
It felt like freefalling—his body floating weightlessly, surrounded by absolute nothingness.
Then, as his senses adjusted, he opened his eyes—
And was met with an ocean of white.
Fog.
Not just ordinary mist, but a thickness akin to concrete mixed with water.
If the fog in the canyon was comparable to drifting sand, then this fog was nearly liquid.
Even with his sharp perception, he could barely make out his own fingers.
Yet… strangely, he could breathe normally.
The oxygen flowed into his lungs, unaffected by the suffocating density of the mist.
There was no sense of immediate danger—no lethal chakra signatures, no killing intent.
But before he could analyze further, a violent impact slammed into him from below—
As if he had just been hit by a charging bull.
Or worse…
As if he had just fallen from a great height.
Mizuki Ryosuke gritted his teeth, pushing himself upright, his body already shifting into combat readiness.
What the hell is this place?
Little did he know…
Nyutaro was wondering the same thing.
JOIN MY PATREON TO READ ADVANCE 80+ CHAPTERS
patreon.com/Kora_1