Some of the old, powerful, and wise veterans of the Shinobi World quickly saw through Hayashi Ren's strategy.
"This kid... really does have guts."
Someone couldn't help but admire him in silence.
A teenager born and raised in peaceful times, yet still possessing this kind of bold determination—charging into enemy jungle territory with only two skills unlocked. It was obvious that Hayashi Ren was incredibly confident in himself.
[Hmph. That kid is... barely tolerable to look at.]
—ID: Madara Uchiha
The moment that line appeared in the feed, even the seasoned veterans of the Shinobi World were stunned.
This was Madara Uchiha speaking!
A legendary figure who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the so-called God of the Shinobi. For someone like Madara to even slightly praise a junior like Ren—it was completely unexpected.
[Hahaha! I never thought I'd see the day where YOU actually complimented someone!]
—ID: Hashirama Senju
[Hmph. I said he was barely tolerable, not praiseworthy.]
Madara coldly responded via another message.
But in truth, even Madara had to admit it—for a young shinobi raised in safety and comfort, Ren's courage was rare and not easy to come by.
Still, someone as prideful as Madara would never openly admit admiration.
After all, aside from Hashirama... there was no one else in the world he ever considered worthy of respect.
Ren silently crossed the river and took a long loop around the battlefield. He slipped into the bushes beside the Azure Statue, crouched low and unmoving, like a predator waiting to ambush its prey.
His expression was calm, cold—even ruthless.
"This is the Azure Statue's position. According to the MOBA guide, killing this statue boosts chakra regeneration."
A soft female voice entered his ears.
A girl with long pink hair and a red qipao-style dress stepped into Ren's view.
"She's here."
Ren's eyes flashed with a glint of light. He whispered inwardly.
It was Sakura—no doubt about it.
Right now, she had the Red Buff and was already Level 3. That meant she had access to all of her skills except her Ultimate. Even at their base level, those skills packed enough power to shred someone like Ren if he wasn't careful.
To make matters worse, Sakura was at full health.
If Ren were to jump out now, she'd easily beat him down. He'd just be handing her a free kill.
And Ren wasn't stupid. He wasn't about to throw his life away for no reason.
So... he waited.
Thwip!
Without the slightest idea someone was lying in wait, Sakura casually activated her first skill, "Poison Kunai."
She flicked a kunai straight into the Azure Statue's face.
Blue blood oozed out where the weapon pierced it. The statue's surface began to hiss as it entered a poisoned state, its health slowly ticking down.
With a growl, the statue entered a rage state. It let out a furious roar and clenched one giant fist, hurling it toward Sakura with a howling gust of wind.
But she didn't flinch.
Instead, she quickly stepped back, and with a whoosh, she tossed a round, orb-like object that looked like a mini cannonball.
The statue suddenly froze in place, wobbling slightly before it began spinning in circles like a drunk.
That was Sakura's second skill: "Sleep Bomb", which temporarily stunned the target.